THUGGISH, drunken drug addict Stuart Brown sank his teeth into a paramedic called to tend an injured woman at a Padiham house party.

Brown, 28, who had hepatitis C and had been released from jail just days before, caused Blackburn-based victim Michael McTague months of worry before he was given the all-clear for the illness.

At Burnley Crown Court yesterday Brown was jailed for 16 months for his crime.

The attacker, who had told his victim he had the condition and was going to kill him, also punched Mr McTague into a bannister and poked him in the eye as well as piercing the skin with the bite. He claimed he did not know his victim was an ambulanceman, despite his bright green uniform.

The defendant, who has an 11-year criminal record including previous convic-tions for police assault, was so aggressive after the unprovoked attack on Mr McTague it took several people to restrain him and he started chewing the bottom of a garden bench.

Recorder Maurice Greene told Brown he clearly posed a potential risk of serious injury both physically and psychologically in the future.

The judge, who imposed an extended licence period of three years, said Mr McTague was a member of a profession the whole purpose of which was to save lives.

"Your actions could easily have put somebody's life at risk," the judge said. Members of the ambulance service were prepared to take such risks to help the public, "and the message has to go out that thuggish behaviour in these circumstances will not be tolerated."

The defendant, of Ingham Street, Padiham, had admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and damaging a police car.

Charles Brown, defending, said: "The defendant had been drinking all day and to describe him as being drunk would be an understatement.

"He would be the first to accept that was not an excuse. Brown thought Mr McTague was trying to push his way into the house and was not welcome."