Teen left with scarring after man bit her on face

Darren Taylor attacked a 19-year-old woman on a bus

A man left a teenager with scarring to her face after he repeatedly bit her.

Darren Taylor, 53, attacked the 19-year-old on a bus in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, in November last year.

He has been jailed for six years and nine months after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

"I constantly find myself thinking back to what happened and have to distract myself, or I find myself in a spiral of negative thoughts," the victim of the attack said.

At around 20:15 BST on 18 November, she and two friends got on a bus in Churchdown which was heading to Cheltenham.

After they sat down, they noticed Taylor, who appeared to be intoxicated, sitting with two others. He made inappropriate comments about them.

An argument between them followed and, as the bus pulled up at the Promenade and the victim tried to get off, Taylor lunged at her.

He grabbed her face and repeatedly bit her nose and mouth.

'Gripped by fear'

The victim tried to stop Taylor with help from her friends and others who intervened, then he ran off and was detained by members of the public until police arrived.

She was taken to hospital and required more than 50 stitches.

In a victim impact statement, she said: “I still experience nightmares, these might not necessarily be about what happened, but in the dreams I am gripped by fear.”

She said her scar was a "permanent reminder" of what had happened and had "completely changed" her face.

"I now smile differently and speak differently which is something that I am going to have to learn to live with for the rest of my life,” she said.

Taylor, of Riverview Way in Cheltenham, admitted the offence at a hearing at Gloucester Crown Court on 26 March and he was sentenced on 18 July.

Alongside his custodial sentence, he was also given a restraining order and told to not contact the victim.

Det Con Sophie McGough said: “The injuries Taylor caused were some of the worst I have ever seen. His actions that evening were awful, and I am glad that he will now spend time behind bars.

“This incident must have been horrifying for the victim, who has been extremely brave throughout the criminal justice process.

"This attack will have a lasting impact on her both physically and mentally, and she continues to recover at home.

Det Con McGough thanked members of the public who intervened and apprehended Taylor while they waited for police.