A POLICE community support officer has appeared in court to deny biting her girlfriend on a night out.

Denise Jane Lockyer stood in the dock at Bournemouth Magistrates Court to face charges of assaulting Joanne Briggs and stealing her phone close to the town’s library late at night.

The 42-year-old defendant is a PCSO from the Moordown Safer Neighbourhood Team, based at North Bournemouth Station in Winton.

She appeared at court dressed in a shirt, black jeans and boots and first spoke to confirm her name, date of birth and her address in Richmond Wood Road in Charminster.

Lockyer is accused of stealing her then girlfriend’s iPhone 4 close to the library at The Triangle after they had been on a night out together and biting her arm when she tried to get it back.

Lockyer denied both charges and Diane Nex, chairman of the bench, said the court accepted jurisdiction to host a trial.

But the defendant was told the theft charge was serious enough to be tried by a jury at crown court and when given the choice she chose that option and said she wanted to be tried by a jury.

Lockyer was ordered to return to the magistrates court on Thursday, June 21, to have her case formally committed to the crown court for trial.

She was released on conditional bail pending the hearing.

The magistrate told her she must not contact 39-year-old Joanne Briggs, with whom she had been in a relationship for five months when the incident is alleged to have happened.

Lockyer must not enter Verity Crescent in Poole or contact Adam Cleaver.

Dorset Police said she has been suspended from her duties until the court proceedings are completed.