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| Man jailed for biting off love rival's finger after meeting at nativity play | Man jailed for biting off love rival's finger after meeting at nativity play |
| (8 days later) | |
| A father who bit the tip off another man's little finger in a brawl outside a school nativity play was jailed for 11 months on Friday. | A father who bit the tip off another man's little finger in a brawl outside a school nativity play was jailed for 11 months on Friday. |
| Lee Wilkinson, who has three children, had been involved in a long-running feud with Michael Dent after Dent had an affair with his wife, Newcastle crown court heard. He had pleaded guilty to wounding and a public order ofence at an earlier hearing. | Lee Wilkinson, who has three children, had been involved in a long-running feud with Michael Dent after Dent had an affair with his wife, Newcastle crown court heard. He had pleaded guilty to wounding and a public order ofence at an earlier hearing. |
| Bridie Smurthwaite, prosecuting, said the two men had gone to Harton primary school, South Shields, in December 2011 with Dent arriving in queue behind Wilkinson. | Bridie Smurthwaite, prosecuting, said the two men had gone to Harton primary school, South Shields, in December 2011 with Dent arriving in queue behind Wilkinson. |
| "When they saw each other, words were exchanged and Mr Dent suggested they go outside to have a fight. A scuffle broke out and during the fight Mr Dent put his hand in the defendant's mouth. The defendant then bit hard on the finger. Mr Dent forcibly pulled his hand away and the injury then occurred." | "When they saw each other, words were exchanged and Mr Dent suggested they go outside to have a fight. A scuffle broke out and during the fight Mr Dent put his hand in the defendant's mouth. The defendant then bit hard on the finger. Mr Dent forcibly pulled his hand away and the injury then occurred." |
| Tom Moran, defending Wilkinson, said he had retrained as an offshore worker after being injured while working as a taxi driver. "He wanted to be able to support his wife and three young children and he was working away on one such ocassion when his wife started a relationship with Mr Dent. | Tom Moran, defending Wilkinson, said he had retrained as an offshore worker after being injured while working as a taxi driver. "He wanted to be able to support his wife and three young children and he was working away on one such ocassion when his wife started a relationship with Mr Dent. |
| "The relationship became serious and the defendant separated from his wife. That gave rise to a large amount of animosity and hostility." | "The relationship became serious and the defendant separated from his wife. That gave rise to a large amount of animosity and hostility." |
| Wilkinson had not known Bent was going to be at the school and like other parents had just wanted to enjoy the play, said Moran. | Wilkinson had not known Bent was going to be at the school and like other parents had just wanted to enjoy the play, said Moran. |
| "The invitation to fight came from Mr Dent and, once the gauntlet was thrown down, it was up to him to take a more mature approach, but he accepted. Once they were in the scuffle, he did not look for an opportunity to bite Mr Dent. There is no suggestion that any of the children were subjected to watching it." | "The invitation to fight came from Mr Dent and, once the gauntlet was thrown down, it was up to him to take a more mature approach, but he accepted. Once they were in the scuffle, he did not look for an opportunity to bite Mr Dent. There is no suggestion that any of the children were subjected to watching it." |
| The court had heard expert evidence that the injury would have required severe force. | The court had heard expert evidence that the injury would have required severe force. |
| Judge Simon Hickey said he was not sending Wilkinson to jail on the basis he intended to cause the injury. But he told Wilkinson: " I can't suspend the sentence, it must be immediate, although I am very conscious that it will impact on your life and your children. | Judge Simon Hickey said he was not sending Wilkinson to jail on the basis he intended to cause the injury. But he told Wilkinson: " I can't suspend the sentence, it must be immediate, although I am very conscious that it will impact on your life and your children. |
| "That is the least I can impose given my duty and what the public must view as a very serious offence." | "That is the least I can impose given my duty and what the public must view as a very serious offence." |
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