A POLICE officer has been left not knowing if he has HIV after being bitten by an infected man.

Dad-of-two Ryan Moffat, 29, was assaulted by James McNeilly who was being placed in a police vehicle.

McNeilly was arrested for culpable and reckless conduct after capped and uncapped needles were found during a search of him.

When PC Moffat got into the vehicle ahead of McNeilly, he felt a sharp pain on the top of his head when he was bitten.

He is to be tested in October to determine if he has the disease and carries the burden of not knowing how it will affect him.

The officer and his wife have had to postpone having more children until he finds out his results.

McNeilly, 30, pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to assaulting PC Moffat by biting him on the head and denying he had the needles on him, which exposed the constable to risk of injury and infection.

He was jailed for 44 months by Sheriff John McCormick who said: "The court must do what it can to protect police constables on duty."

The court heard that around 10.30pm on April 14, McNeilly was seen arguing with a woman on Bridge Street, Glasgow.

He told PC Moffat and his colleague PC Tanya Honeyman that the disagreement was minor.

Procurator fiscal depute John Bedford, told the court: "Both observed the accused's speech was incoherent and it appeared that the was under the influence of a substance.

"As a result, police witness Moffat, in the presence of his colleague, informed the accused that he would be searched."

Before searching McNeilly, the constable asked if there was anything that might harm him during the search and was told "no".

But a capped needle was found in the pocket of McNeilly's fleece and an uncapped one in his pocket. In the police van McNeilly lunged towards PC Moffat and bit his head, causing it to bleed.

McNeilly was taken to Helen Street Police Office and told staff he was HIV positive.

Constable Moffat was later treated at the Infectious Disease Department at Gartnavel.