Lee Childerstone was jailed after pleading guilty to unlawful wounding at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court
A man has been jailed for biting off the tip of his friend’s ear on a bus and then spitting it out of the window.
Lee Childerstone, 41, assaulted his friend Luke Cundy on a Stagecoach bus in August after they exchanged words while they were both intoxicated.
CCTV footage was shown to Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Friday of Childerstone – who was topless at the time of the assault – attack his friend towards the back of the bus.
The court heard that the defendant bit the tip of his friend’s ear off and then spat it out of the bus window after the victim screamed in pain and told Childerstone to get off.
They had a few drinks then called for ambulance
They then proceeded to the defendant’s home in Troedyrhiw and had a few drinks together before calling for an ambulance.
The court was told that the pair remain friends.
The assault happened on a bus which left Merthyr town centre and headed towards Aberfan at around 8.30pm on August 6.
Childerstone, of Diana Street in Troedyrhiw, appeared in court on Friday, where he admitted unlawful wounding but denied wounding with intent.
Rachel Knight, prosecuting, took the court through a CCTV video of the incident.
She said: “Mr Childerstone spat the tip of the ear out of the window. Other people at that point speak to them and tell them to get off but they don’t.
“They went together to an address in Troedyrhiw, had some drinks and called for an ambulance which took the complainant to hospital.
'The very tip of the ear was removed'
“The very tip of the ear was removed – an unpleasant injury which will no doubt leave a slight disfigurement.”
The court heard that Childerstone had previous convictions dating back to 1990 for offences including assault occasioning actual bodily harm, supplying cannabis, criminal damage, and breaches of a restraining order.
The court heard the defendant had struggled to come to terms with a number of issues, including the end of a relationship and drug use.
Susan Ferrier, for the defence, said: “There’s loss of part of the ear. Therefore there would be permanent scarring.
“To use the defendant’s words, he said ‘I’m now 41, my beard grows grey and I really need to sort this out before I die’.
“He says he’s sorry, it was his friend who he bit on that day. He said it followed words between them.
'A shocking incident'
“He was intoxicated, as was the complainant at the time. Their friendship continues despite the fact that this has happened.”
Childerstone was sentenced to two years and four months in prison.
Sentencing, Judge Richard Twomlow said: “There were other people on that bus.
“I have seen CCTV footage of a disgraceful attack on a man in a public place.
“This was a shocking incident, not only for the victim but also for the members of the public that were simply on the bus.
“This was a sustained assault by biting, which caused the loss of the tip of the victim’s ear.”
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/man-jailed-biting-part-friends-12199793
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