Shocking moment drinker bites off EAR of 'bar room bore' and spits it on the ground as both are jailed over vicious pub brawl
Paul Connor sunk his teeth into Christopher Hewer's ear, tearing it clean off before spitting it onto leaving a horrified woman to scoop it up.
The moment came during a fight at the reception of The Kellbank Hotel and Restaurant in Gosforth, Newcastle.
A court heard how the woman placed the ear on serviette, as staff desperately tried to contain the chaos.
And Connor later posed for a police mugshot that clearly showed the ear missing.
Violence erupted just before midnight on July 8, 2023, after a 'drunken' and loud-mouthed Hewer was seen irritating fellow punters by getting in their faces.
Hewer staggered across and was being a 'bar-room bore' and started talking to tree surgeon Connor, who moved away from the 'incessant chat' as staff tried to calm things, Prosecutor Tim Evans told Carlisle Crown Court.
Hewer initially walked off but then came back to the bar and threw a punch towards Connor's seated group.
And matters quickly exploded when they moved to the hotel reception, and 'violence continues and significantly escalates', and a six-person fight kicks off, Mr Evans added.
Hewer's partner, Antonia Holliday, could be seen punching out at another customer, and being punched.
Connor kicked her, was punched by her and was then punched by Hewer before the two exchanged more blows.
In a harrowing escalation, Connor then used both hands to grab Hewer's head, leaning towards him and biting his left ear completely off before spitting it onto the ground.
Hewer initially appeared oblivious to the savage act, while Holliday fell after being punched to the head by Connor.
Mr Evans said: 'It is to the credit of a number of people, none more so than the staff member, that they try to stop the violence.'
Connor, 33, of Speke, Liverpool, admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and also affray.
Hewer, 44, and Holliday, 36, both from Distington, admitted affray.
Kim Whittlestone, defending Connor, said the father-of-two had acted out of character as 'something snapped' when he was provoked.
Appliance engineer Hewer, who appeared in the dock wearing a head bandage on June 20, had undergone a medical procedure earlier in the week in preparation for having a prosthetic ear fitted in.
'Even after two years, he is feeling the effects,' said Marion Weir, mitigating, adding that Holliday acted 'entirely out of character'.
Connor received a four-and-a-half-year jail term from Judge Michael Fanning, who accepted he was provoked by Hewer and had not gone looking for trouble.
Jailing him, Judge Fanning said: 'But I have to deal with you for what you have done - you have used a weapon to inflict this injury.
'Use of the teeth is a weapon.'
Hewer was jailed for 18 months while Holliday's 15-month custodial term was suspended for a year, with the judge noting she was the sole carer of two children.
Sentencing Hewer Judge Fanning said: 'You started this.
'You provoked Mr Connor to the position he found himself in - you came out of this very much the loser with a very serious injury.'
Holliday must complete 200 hours' unpaid work and also received an alcohol ban.
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