Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury ear bite man escaped immediate prison term

A man who bit off part of someone's ear during a fight outside a Shrewsbury pub has escaped an immediate prison sentence because one of his children has a life-threatening illness.

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Michael Jones, a father-of-three, had been drinking and used excessive force while defending himself after he was attacked.

Victim Andrew Hughes lost part of his left ear and suffered a serious injury to his nose in the brawl in October last year.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday Jones was given a nine-month sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting inflicting grievous bodily harm.

But the 32-year-old was let off being sent to jail after the court hard about his personal circumstances.

Judge Peter Barrie said he was faced with a difficult balancing exercise in passing sentence for an offence that would normally result in an immediate prison term.

He told Jones that it was a very serious assault that had left Mr Hughes with a "lasting disfiguring injury".

But he said he had to consider the details of the defendant's young daughter's ill health and Jones responsibilities towards his child.

Jones, of Sandhurst Meadows, Shrewsbury, was also ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work and attend victim empathy and reducing violence programmes.

The court heard that Mr Hughes had gone to the Coracle pub in the early hours to find his girlfriend Gemma Pritchard and that Jones and others were at the pub.

Mr Philip Breadwell, prosecuting sad that Jones came out of the pub and there was a confrontation and Mr Hughes had punched the defendant who then fought back, but had "gone over the top" in defending himself.

The victim had part of his left ear bitten off and suffered a split nose in the fight and needed stitches to repair the injuries.

Mr Stephen Scully, for Jones, said that his client realised he had made a mistake under the influence of alcohol.

He said that Jones was remorseful and sorry about the injuries he caused.

He said that the defendant had given up his job and that he and his wife were full-time carers for their sick child who has a life-threatening heart condition.

Mr Scully said there were regular visits to Birmingham Children's Hospital and the couple had two more young children.

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