A man who bit off a part of another man’s ear after he had his trousers pulled down in a pub has avoided jail.
Avnesh Gola, 27, was playing a game of pool with another man but after he refused to buy a drink, the victim pulled his trousers down, the court heard.
Following this, Gola left the Derby Arms in Bolton, Greater Manchester, and went to find a taxi, but the other man came out of the pub and punched him.
During the fight, the other man bit Gola’s finger but he responded by biting the other man’s ear and took a chunk out of it, Bolton Crown Court heard.
The victim had to be taken to hospital and will be left with a permanent disfigurement on his ear.
Arthur Gibson, prosecuting, read a victim impact statement from the man who was attacked, who said he is “self-conscious” about his ear.
It said: “When I am around family and friends I am self-conscious about my ear.
“I have never been back to the pub, I used to be a regular.
“When I shave or shower I always see my ear.”
Gola, of Great Lever, Greater Manchester, previously pleaded to grievous bodily harm during the incident, which happened in January 2022.
He pleaded guilty on the basis that he had been struck first, but that his self-defense was excessive and this was not challenged by prosecutors.
Oliver Jarvis, defending, says he had shown remorse and had not reoffended since.
He added: “He is a self-employed painter and decorator.
“He has not worked since proceedings began due to stress.”
Sentencing, District Judge Richard Clews said he “must take account of the particular circumstances.”
He said: “Many people might think and quite frankly they would be right that any case involving the biting of someone on the ear and causes permanent disfigurement should be met with a custodial sentence.
“I must take account of the particular circumstances of the offending.
“I hope you understand as everybody ought to that two wrongs do not make a right.”
Judge Clews gave Golato a sentence of nine months, suspended for 18 months and ordered him to complete an alcohol abstinence requirement for 90 days.
He must also complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days, complete 150 hours of unpaid work and to pay £1,000 of compensation to the victim.
