Bibby Stockholm migrant bit a police officer as he was being arrested

An asylum seeker who tried taking cannabis onboard the Bibby Stockholm bit a police officer as he was being arrested.

A court has heard that when Kenson Noel, 29, arrived at the migrant barge in Portland Port in Dorset he admitted to staff that he had brought a small amount of marijuana with him.

After this revelation, the asylum seeker from Trinidad and Tobago was searched and staff found in his possession 6.5g of cannabis, a set of scales, bags and £800 of cash.

Noel was then arrested but as he was placed in handcuffs he turned on the police officer, Christopher Grant, and bit him on the elbow.

He has pleaded guilty to possessing a class B drug and assaulting a police officer.

Ian Brazier, mitigating, said his client thought the amount of cannabis he had was legal as it was for his own use to help him sleep.

He claims Noel had the scales so he could be sure how much cannabis he had and the cash was from his family in Trinidad and was later given back to him.

The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports.

Noel, who is now staying in a hotel in Bournemouth, was granted unconditional bail and will appear at Poole Magistrates' Court next month. He will be sentenced at a later date.

He is the second asylum seeker from the Bibby Stockholm to be convicted of a criminal offence since the controversial barge arrived in Dorset last summer.

Ahmed Haffa, 24, punched and bit the two security guards as they tried to stop him for shoplifting in Weymouth in December 2023.

He failed to show up for his court case in February and was found guilty of assault and theft in his absence.

Although a warrant was immediately issued for his arrest Haffa remains at large to this day.