Geraint Jones, 25, was in fancy dress when he attacked Gwynant Jones who now needs reconstructive surgery
A former soldier who went out dressed as Colonel Gaddafi is facing jail for biting off the ear of pub-goer and spat it onto the floor.
History student Geraint Jones, 25, was in fancy dress as the late Tripoli tyrant with a black curly wig and bright orange tribal robes when he attacked Gwynant Jones.
The victim gave police a description of his Halloween attacker and he was spotted on CCTV in his garb as the Libyan dictator.
A court heard Geraint Jones carried out the “cowardly and unprovoked” attack on the fancy dress night out with other friends on the “bad taste” pub crawl.
'It wasn't my intention to bite his ear off'
The Gaddafi-clad reveller was in the bar for just six minutes when he sank his teeth into the man’s left ear from behind.
Jones, who served on the frontline with the Army, told how he had been on a drinking session of more than six hours dressed as Gaddafi.
He said: “I accept biting Gwynant’s ear, that day I started to drink while watching the rugby during the afternoon.
“When I approached him, my intention was to bite his ear. It’s a horrible thing to do but it was not my intention to bite it off.
“My intention was to bite his ear in order to shock him.”
Mobile app designer Gwynant Jones, 25, was at the bar at the Academy bar in Aberystwyth when he the attack happened.
'He was giving high fives in the street afterwards'
Prosecutor Ian Wright said: “He approached from behind and placed his hands on his shoulder before biting his left ear - ripping the lower section off.
“He was seen giving high fives in the street afterwards.”
Victim Mr Jones said: “All I can remember is being at the bar and then suddenly feeling a lot of pain.
“I leaned forward and I think that’s when my ear must have ripped off and I saw lots of blood.”
He said he had not spoken nor argued with anyone at the fancy dress party before being attacked.
The court heard the severed ear lobe was later recovered from the floor by a barman but it was not possible to reattach it.
Barman Sam Carter said: “His friend told me someone had his ear bitten off.
“I didn’t believe him at first. I asked him to take away his hand so that I could see the damage to his ear.
“There was blood running down his shirt, I would say at least a third of his ear was missing.”
The victim needs further reconstructive surgery
Swansea Crown Court heard the fancy dress reveller had appeared to be in a scuffle with a different man at the bar earlier.
He was caught on CCTV cameras leaving but returned seconds later to bite Mr Jones - who had been watching the Rugby World Cup on TV before the 11.25pm attack.
Mr Jones had an operation at Morriston Hospital in Swansea and needs further reconstructive surgery.
Attacker Jones admitted the bite but insisted he did not mean for the victim’s ear to be torn off.
He claimed the ear lobe was accidentally torn off when another man tried to “pull” him away.
Friend William Skinner said he stepped in to separate the two. But he said: “The damage had already been done by that time.”
Jones, who studies History and Politics at Aberystwyth University, denied wanting to sever the ear with his teeth.
'It was disgusting and reprehensible'
James Hartson, defending, said: “He has described what he did as disgusting and reprehensible, he is not for a moment excusing his behaviour.”
The court heard Jones had been in the army but left the forces to take up history and politics studies.
Mr Hartson said: “He has worked in some of the most dangerous and hostile places in the world.”
Jones, of Queen’s Avenue, Aberystwyth, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm. He denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent and was cleared after just 42 minutes.
He was released on bail to be sentenced next month at Swansea Crown Court but was told to expect jail and was warned it would have been 12 years if he was found guilty.
Judge Geraint Walters said: “The custody threshhold is well past. His behaviour that night was quite bizarre, it’s a very rare form of violence.
“This young man was completely innocent. He hadn’t put a foot out of line or said a word, but he lost a significant part of his ear, which may or may not be reconstructed. He struck me as a very decent and understated individual.”
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/former-soldier-bit-mans-ear-12609467
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