A BARROW man who launched a ‘sustained and repeated assault’ on a 17-year-old and also assaulted a police officer has been spared jail.

Michael Torkington, now 20, was told by the judge he was being given the ‘opportunity of leading a productive adult life’.

Preston Crown Court heard Torkington’s actions on November 21 last year included biting his victim.

The woman, who was 17, arrived at Torkington’s home in Rawlinson Street on the afternoon of November 20, the court was told.

Prosecuting, Hugh McKee told the hearing the defendant had been taking drugs. He fell asleep and the woman stayed with him. Torkington awoke in the early hours of the morning and began ‘smashing up his flat’.

“He’s throwing things at her [the victim], he’s wrestling with her,” said Mr McKee. “Then refusing to let her leave the flat.”

The court heard Torkington, then 19, also bit the teenager, who eventually retreated to the bathroom, where she vomited due to fear.

She escaped through the bathroom window before shouting for help from the rear yard.

Police arrived and, the court heard, Torkington was taken to hospital.

Mr McKee said that, on the way back to the police van, having left the hospital, the defendant kicked Police Constable Dugdale in the shin and the knee.

The court was told that Torkington had breached his bail multiple times. The first time, he approached the victim and was remanded in custody.

He applied for bail again but breached it a further three times in relation to the electronically-monitored curfew he was under.

Mitigating, John Woodward said Torkington was ‘full of remorse’.

“He can only apologise,” said Mr Woodward.

“He can only assure everybody that that behaviour is very much passed and that he will not behave in that way ever again.”

Judge Heather Lloyd gave Torkington a 12-month sentence at a Young Offender Institution, suspended for 18 months. He was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and will attend 20 rehabilitation activity days.

Judge Lloyd said the defendant was being ‘given the opportunity’ to rehabilitate himself with the sentence handed out.