Boyfriend 'felt ear ripping off'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7026627.stm

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A man has gone on trial accused of biting off a man's ear.

John Totten, 27, of Milebush Close in Belfast, is accused of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent in July 2006. He denies the charges.

A prosecution lawyer said he drunkenly approached a couple in a Whitehead bar and made lewd comments to the woman.

The attack allegedly happened after he was ejected from the bar. He is accused of biting the woman's boyfriend, who was confronting him about his remarks.

The prosecution lawyer told Belfast Crown Court that in July 2006, Gareth McMurtry and his girlfriend were sitting at the bar in Bentra Golf Club when a drunken Mr Totten sat down beside them and made inappropriate remarks.

We say there was no reasonable necessity to bite off his ear Prosecution lawyer He said the accused was put out of the bar, and although things "calmed down inside," the accused remained agitated and threatened that "he was going to ring the boys".

Mr McMurtry went outside to tell Mr Totten he had been "out of order" but the jury was told that when he got close to him, "the accused put both hands on him" and as he pulled him close, bit his left ear.

"Gareth McMurtry hit him in the stomach to get him to let go, but he heard his ear ripping off and felt blood running down his face - effectively, his ear was bitten off," the lawyer said.

Packed in ice

The ear was packed in ice taken from the bar, but doctors were unable to sew it back on.

When later questioned, the accused admitted biting off Mr McMurtry's ear, but argued he did so in self-defence.

The prosecution lawyer said Mr Totten claimed he had been attacked by a group of people.

"We say he was attacked by people after, and perhaps because of, what he had done to Gareth McMurtry," said the lawyer.

He added: "We say there was no reasonable necessity to bite off his ear."

The case continues.