Jealous Man Bites Lips Off Rival

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JEALOUSY LED ATTACKER TO BITE OFF MAN'S LIPS

Jealous Gareth Nugent sank his teeth into a former love rival's face and bit off part of his lips at a Gloucester club, a court heard.

Apprentice electrician Nugent, 24, then spat out part of the severed lip as victim Andrew Tomlinson recoiled in agony in the attack at Innteraction, the city's crown court heard. After admitting inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Tomlinson, Nugent was jailed for a year.

Recorder Martin Picton told him: "The violence you exhibited on this night was so severe and such an appalling loss of self control that I have no choice but to send you to prison.

"A bite is both excruciatingly painful for the victim and terrifying. You used substantial force to bite of part of your victim's face."

Simon Burns, prosecuting, had told the court that both Nugent, of The Old Mill, Cheltenham Road, Broadway, Worcestershire, and Mr Tomlinson were ex-boyfriends of Rachel Temple.

Mr Tomlinson had remained friendly with her after their relationship ended and was still seeing her socially, said Mr Burns.

The two men met up on the night of March 29 in the club in Bruton Way, he said.

Tomlinson was at pains to make it clear to Nugent that there was no longer anything going on between him and Miss Temple. But Nugent then attacked Mr Tomlinson.

Mr Tomlinson had surgery at Cheltenham General Hospital to try to repair the damage but had been left with scarring and a loss of part of the tissue of both lips, added Mr Burns.

Rupert Lowe, for Nugent, said: "He was in a jealous rage. That was what this was all about.

"He believed, rightly or wrongly, that Andy Tomlinson had been seeing this girlfriend behind his back during the time that they were still together.

"He got in a terrible rage about it. He was jealous and he simply lashed out at this man by punching him. Then they got into a grapple together because Mr Tomlinson grabbed hold of him."