A policeman bitten by an HIV-positive drug addict faces an anxious wait to see whether he has contracted the virus.

The sergeant was attacked by violent alcoholic and drug user Michail Cebanenko at Wimbledon police station, after the labourer’s arrest for beating his partner.

Now the married man in his 40s is awaiting the result of blood tests that will show whether he is HIV-positive. Superintendent Pete Dobson of Merton police said: “My thoughts are with him. It’s going to be a difficult few weeks.”

Last week Cebanenko, who had been released on bail over a charge of drug possession shortly before the attack, pleaded guilty to two assaults and three other charges at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard he was arrested at his partner’s house in Mitcham on July 22.

According to the prosecution lawyer, the 32-year-old told police he had “smashed her in the face a couple of times”, and admitted regularly hitting his partner when he had been drinking.

Police were called after a furious argument between the couple, who have a child together.

Cebanenko, of Elton Road in Kingston, later told police he had drunk two bottles of vodka and five beers at the house in Runnymede despite not planning to drink anything when he arrived earlier that evening.

The court was told when the police arrived Cebanenko began swearing and ordered them to get out of the house, and as they took him into a police van he began kicking and shouting.

He lashed out at and spat in the hand of a PC Ian Van Statten, who was helping with arrest.

It was when Cebanenko, who also carries Hepatitis C, was put into the cells at Wimbledon police station that he bit the sergeant’s arm.

The officer was immediately taken to St George’s Hospital in Tooting for emergency treatment, and will now need at least seven months of anti-viral medication.

The sergeant, who has served with Merton police for more than 10 years, expects to find out whether he has contracted HIV in the next couple of weeks.

On Friday Cebanenko pleaded guilty to two counts of assault, one count of using threatening words and behaviour, one count of resisting arrest and one count of possession of class A drugs.

He will be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court, although the date of his appearance is yet to be decided.