A 22-year-old Starcross man who savagely attacked an off-duty police officer who tried to stop him kicking a man on the ground has been jailed.
Exeter Crown Court heard Jamie Casely knocked a man to the ground and then started kicking him as he lay motionless on the floor.
Exeter police officer Brian Ellis intervened to try to stop the midnight kicking and Casely rounded on him grabbing him round the throat.
He bit the officer on the ear and gouged at his right eye with such force the officer thought his eyeball was going to pop out.
Mr Ellis underwent eye surgery and sustained multiple cuts and bruises.
Mitigating, Nick Bradley said Casely's problem was alcohol and that turned him into a Jekyll and Hyde character which had triggered this offence. He said it was a serious incident and he had been to prison before for violence.
He bitterly regretted what had happened that night and, when he sobered up, he felt genuine remorse.
Casely, of Parkers Road, Starcross, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.
Sending him to prison for 12 months Judge Graham Cottle told Casely: 'In the early hours of the morning an off duty police officer came upon you attacking another man in the city centre.
'When he tried to stop the attack you knocked him to the ground and gouged at his eye and bit him on the ear causing serious injuries.
'Once again you were seriously under the influence of drink and you will have to learn to cope with alcohol or give it up. While in prison you will have to reflect on the wisdom of this form of lifestyle.'