17 August 2012 Last updated at 12:49 ET

Gareth Beckett sentenced to 16 months over bite attack

Police said Beckett had made a violent and sustained attack on a 52-year-old man

A 34-year-old man from Somerset has been sentenced to 16 months in prison after attacking 52-year-old man at Weymouth railway station.

Gareth Beckett of Portland Place, Frome, pleaded guilty at Dorchester Crown Court to inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Beckett had bitten his victim under the eye and left him bleeding extensively.

British Transport Police said the attack in June last year had taken place in front of children.

Police added that a witness had heard him in the station's toilets repeatedly saying he wanted to "smash someone's head in".

Then while queuing in the station's booking hall at about 16.25 BST, he got into an argument with the 52-year-old man and they started fighting.

Onlookers watched as Beckett repeatedly hit the 52-year-old

Witnesses saw him repeatedly punching the man and then when members of the public tried to restrain Beckett, he bit the man under his left eye for a few seconds, according to police.

Beckett was later caught by officers who found him in the Railway Tavern pub on Queen Street.

Det Con Phil James said: "When questioned, Beckett insisted that he wasn't a violent person, but the injuries he caused would seem to suggest the opposite.

"This was a violent and sustained attack that took place in broad daylight in front of a number of shocked passengers, including families with children, and we welcome the sentence handed down to Beckett by the court."