A DRUNK who bit off a man’s earlobe in a fight outside a takeaway phoned police soon afterwards to admit what he had done.

Bolton Crown Court heard how victim Scott Lock was drunk on the evening of August 27 last year when he went to The Food Factory takeaway in Bradshawgate, Bolton.

Philip Dobson, prosecuting, told how, while there, Mr Lock went to help a girl, someone he thought he knew from school.

“Someone started having a go at him and a scuffling began during which he felt a sharp pain in his ear,” said Mr Dobson, who added that the victim later learnt his right ear lobe was missing.

Judge Elliot Knopf was told that the prosecution do not have any medical evidence and Mr Lock has not provided a victim impact statement.

Mr Dobson added that, a short time after the incident, Alexander Hood telephoned police and said he had just bitten someone’s ear outside a takeaway.

“The Crown accept he thought he had needed to help a friend who was in a fight,” said Mr Dobson.

Judge Knopf was told that during the fight Hood had got on top of Mr Lock and bitten off the earlobe. But both Hood and Mr Lock have only hazy recollections of what happened.

Judge Knopf told Hood: “It must have been, for him (Mr Lock) when he sobered up, a very distressing situation and one which, I am sure you, in a cold, sober situation, would have appreciated the seriousness of what you did.”

Hood, aged 31, of Church Mews, Dearden Street, Bury, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.

Wayne Jackson, defending, stressed that Hood has no previous convictions for violence and was able to produce character references.

He appealed to Judge Knopf not to jail him immediately.

Hood wiped his eyes in the dock as Judge Knopf told him: “Some associate of yours was involved in a scuffle with an individual. You intervened, it would appear, in order to assist.

“You went too far. It’s clear that all those involved, it would seem, had taken a lot of alcohol that night.

“I am prepared to accept that, but for the drink, you would not have been involved in this sort of confrontation. It is clear this was out of character.”

He added that those who subsequently provided references for Hood would have been shocked and disappointed by his behaviour.

But Judge Knopf acknowledged Hood had quickly contacted police. “Had you not done so, the police would have had considerable difficulty in tracing you,” he told him.

Hood was sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for 12 months and was ordered to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work and participate in 15 days of rehabilitation activities.