A man tried to bite a Primark security guard’s face because he thought he was talking about him on his radio, a court has heard.

Billy Grant, of Dunkery Road in Mottingham, committed the attack at around 4.30pm on October 25 at The Glades Shopping Centre, Bromley. 

As he walked into the shop, the 32-year-old noticed the security guard on his radio and assumed he was talking about him, Prosecutor Joe Davidson told the court. 

In a vicious attack Grant grabbed him by the neck and pushed his face close to the security guard.

“At the time I was scared. He literally tried to bite my lips,” the security guard said. “I feel safe when he is in prison but I don’t know what he will do when he gets out.” 

Grant later admitted that he had attacked the security guard but denied trying to bite him. 

At the time of the Primark attack, Grant was on bail for a series of assaults against a woman. 

He assaulted the woman for the first time on August 17, leaving her with a black eye, then three days later he assaulted her again and was arrested. 

Grant was released on bail but just a month later, on September 23, he ran into the woman at a supermarket.  

A verbal argument started before Grant pulled a 45cm serrated kitchen knife out of a backpack and swung it at her, Mr Davidson said.  

She threw a drink at him as he swung at her and kicked him off his bike, at which point he cycled away. 

After being convicted of five assaults and possession of a knife, Grant appeared at Inner London Crown Court for sentencing on April 3.

Defence counsel said he has bipolar disorder and committed these offences after he had stopped taking his medication. 

The court was told he has shown a willingness to change and is a positive influence in the prison community. 

Judge John Brooke-Smith sentenced him to a total of three years and three months in prison.