Two jailed over brawl where man's ear bitten off

Christopher Hewer was jailed for his part in the fight

Two men have been jailed over a late-night brawl which saw one of them tear the other's ear off with his teeth.

It was captured by CCTV footage inside the Kellbank Hotel and Restaurant, Gosforth, Cumbria, at about midnight on 8 July 2023.

Prosecutor Tim Evans told Carlisle Crown Court that a drunk Christopher Hewer was "being the bar-room bore" and a fight involving several people ensued after he approached stranger Paul Connor, who initially tried to move away from his "incessant chat".

The pair came to blows and Connor used both hands to grab Hewer's head, leaning towards him and biting his left ear completely off before spitting it on to the ground.

A stunned female bystander collected the severed ear in a serviette, the court heard, as customers and the only member of staff attempted to stop the fight.

Connor, 33, of Fenton Close, Speke, Liverpool, admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and also affray.

He received a four-and-a-half year jail term from Judge Michael Fanning, who accepted he was provoked by Hewer and had not gone looking for trouble.

"But I have to deal with you for what you have done," said the judge. "You have used a weapon to inflict this injury. Use of the teeth is a weapon."

Hewer, 44, of West View Road in Distington, near Workington, admitted affray and was handed an 18-month prison sentence.

"You provoked Mr Connor to the position he found himself in," said Judge Fanning. "You came out of this very much the loser with a very serious injury."

Both attacker and victim were jailed for their part in the violence at the Kellbank

The court heard Hewer's partner Antonia Holliday, 36, of Hinnings Road, Distington, also took part in the violence that night.

CCTV footage shown during the hearing showed her punching out at another customer, and being punched. Connor kicked Holliday and was punched by her, before the physical altercation with Hewer.

She was given a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, with the judge noting she was the sole carer of two children. She must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and an alcohol ban.

The judge considered background information on all three, hearing they were sorry for their wrongdoing.

Connor, a tree surgeon and dad-of-two, had acted out of character as "something snapped" when he was provoked, said his barrister Kim Whittlestone.

Appliance engineer Hewer, who wore a head bandage during the sentencing hearing, underwent a medical procedure earlier this week with a view to a prosthetic ear being available to him.

"Even after two years he is feeling the effects," said Marion Weir, mitigating.