A 25 year old ex-soldier has been jailed for 16 months after he bit off a man’s ear in October 2015.
Halloween Attack
Geraint Jones was out with friends on Halloween night when someone ‘pushed and shoved’ him in a pub in his home town of Aberystwyth, mid-Wales.
Cardiff Crow Court heard how he moved onto another bar, The Academy, before he purposefully went back into the pub in which he had been pushed to look for the man who did it.
He mistakenly identified Gwynant Jones as the man who had pushed him and bit into his ear, severing part of it.
The court heard Gywnant’s earlobe was found on the floor by a barman but could not be reattached.
Judge Geraint Walters said to Jones:
“You now accept that in your state of drunkenness you misidentified that man. The man that you chose therefore as your victim was wholly innocent of any wrongdoing.”
Addressing the ear biting, the judge said said:
“You don’t need me to tell you that that is the most savage use of force. I can’t personally claim to understand why you behaved as you did. There was something almost clinical in the use of force.”
The judge went on to say he had asked himself why Jones, who is studying international history and politics with the intention of becoming a diplomat, had committed the offence in the first place. He added he believed reasons “ran much deeper” than anything that had been said in court so far.
Guilty plea
The court was told how Jones pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on Gwynant Jones in November 2016, but denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent. A jury found him not guilty of the latter offence in court last month.
James Hartson, defending, asked the judge to suspend Jones’ sentence so that he may continue to study after being offered the chance to return to Aberystwyth University to complete his degree. He added:
“The defendant is deeply ashamed and remorseful.
“In fact he is appalled by his actions. Even when giving evidence to the jury he admitted that what he did was disgusting and disgraceful.”
Judge Walters said the effects on the victim were ongoing and that surgery to reconstruct his ear had so far been unsuccessful.
“I am prepared to accept that the severing of the ear was as a result of you gripping the ear forcefully with your teeth and in some part because others tried to pull you apart from your victim.
“The reality is, none of that is a comfort to your victim.”
The judge added he had deliberated not handing Jones a custodial sentence, but that he had an obligation “as far as the public is concerned”.
Criminal injury – expert legal advice
Criminal injury compensation may be available if you have experienced physical trauma or psychological trauma as a result of a violent crime. Speaking to a member of our team about your criminal injury may be the first time that you have spoken to anybody about your experience – this is common among our clients. We guarantee complete confidentiality throughout your claim.
We understand that if you have been subjected to an act of violence, your thoughts will turn to making a full recovery – compensation will likely be the last thing on your mind.
There is, however, a government Scheme that provides compensation to those who have been victims of violent crime. The Criminal Injury Compensation Scheme is governed by the Criminal Injury Compensation Authority (CICA).
If you would like expert advice on this type of case, contact Hampson Hughes Solicitors today. Call 0800 888 6 888 or email .
Source: Guardian
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