Thug bit off man's ear in grisly attack outside pub in leafy Leeds suburb

Jermaine Walton attacked the man, who was waiting for a taxi with his partner, after Walton claimed comments were made about his daughter. The 42-year-old was jailed this week after admitting section 20 GBH. Leeds Crown Court heard that Walton had been out drinking in Roundhay with his daughter and others on January 23, 2022.

The victim had been outside the the Thomas Osborne on Street Lane when he witnessed an altercation. But then Walton approached him "acting aggressively", prosecutor Holly Clegg told the court.

Walton punched him and the pair fell to the floor with Walton on top of the man. He then sunk his teeth into the man's ear, biting off a chunk and spitting it onto the ground. The police were called and Walton was arrested a short time later. Much of the incident had been captured on CCTV.

He told officers he reacted because comments were made about his daughter. During his interview he claimed he could not remember the incident, but could recall getting into a fight with a man and a woman. Walton said he "could not give a s***" when told about the injuries and added: "That's what you get if you trouble kids," which was thought to be in reference to alleged remarks made to his daughter.

In an impact statement read to the court, the victim described it as being "horrific" that he was forced to live with his permanent disfigurement. He had been given a prosthetic ear but he was left more self conscious and said it was "more noticeable".

Walton, of Leafield Towers, Moortown, has 14 convictions for 33 offences, but none for violence. He admitted section 20 GBH without intent, which was accepted by the Crown, having initially been charged with the more serious offence of section 18 GBH with intent. He was also previously given bail, but after an altercation in the dock with an officer during a hearing, he was then kept on remand. He appeared for his sentencing in court via video link from prison.

Mitigating on his behalf, Andrew Nixon pointed to Walton's lack of previous convictions for violence. He also said of the incident: "There was, to him, a degree of provocation." He said that Walton had taken steps to address his mental health issues while held on remand.

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Judge Ray Singh jailed him for 32 months and said: "Whatever the rights or wrongs, you took to using your teeth as a weapon, clamping down on his ear and removing a part of it. You knew exactly what you had done and the severity of it. You showed little remorse, and your behaviour during these proceedings when you had an altercation with a dock officer, shows your irrational outbursts.

"It's caused permanent disfigurement to his ear and caused a considerable amount of embarrassment. He will have to live with that. It's an horrific injury you have left upon him."