A shoplifter who bit members of staff at a supermarket on two occasions has been jailed.
Joshua Buchan helped himself to packs of meat at Tesco in Station Road, Weston-super-Mare, and bit staff members Jon Peters and Jamie McNeill when they tackled him.
Two weeks later he returned to the store, tried to steal a bottle of wine, and bit Paige Skinner when she tried to stop him.
Buchan, 28, of Moorland Road in Weston-super-Mare, pleaded guilty to three charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two charges of theft in December last year.
Judge Julian Lambert jailed him for 12 months.
He told Buchan: "A human bite is a really nasty piece of violence.
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"It is a feral and bestial way to react.
"It is very dangerous and very worrying for the victim.
"Use of your teeth amounts to the use of a weapon."
Chloe Griggs, prosecuting, said Mr Peters and McNeill intervened when Buchan tried to exit the store with stolen packs of meat in his bag.
In a struggle that ensued Buchan bit both men, the court heard.
Miss Griggs said: "Mr Buchan took hold of Mr Peters' left wrist and bit his hand with force.
"It caused pain and broke the skin.
"Both fell to the floor and Mr Buchan then bit Mr McNeill's right arm through his clothes."
Both men received preventive jabs and antibiotics as a result.
Having walked out of the store, Buchan returned two weeks later and bit Paige Skinner between her thumb and index finger as she tried to prevent him stealing a bottle of wine.
After calming down and apologising to her, Buchan put is arm around her neck and pulled her hair before fleeing, the court heard.
Harry Ahuja, defending, conceded the assaults were "disgusting and serious".
He said at the time his client was struggling with his mental health and was drinking far too much.
Mr Ahuja said: "He is very sorry and very remorseful for that behaviour."
