Judge asks to see bite victim's damaged ear before passing sentence (From St Helens Star)

Judge asks to see bite victim's damaged ear before passing sentence

4:31pm Wednesday 5th September 2012 in News Exclusive By Stephen Mather, Senior reporter

A JUDGE asked to see the bite injury inflicted on a teenager’s ear before considering the sentence handed down to his attacker.

Judge Nigel Gilmour, sitting at Liverpool Crown Court, requested to see the 17-year-old in private to assess the long term severity of the wound, which left him with a chunk of his left ear lobe missing.

It followed a horrific assault at about 9am on Wednesday, March 7 near the grounds of St Helens College Technology Campus.

The violence was sparked by a row over Facebook.

The 17-year-old defendant, who cannot be named because he is aged under 18, had already pleaded guilty to a section 20 offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent at an earlier hearing.

The two youths had been involved in a fight at the campus on Pocket Nook Street. However the defendant, who sat behind the glass partition in the dock, denies intending to cause the injury.

His plea, which is to a lesser charge than the original accusation of grievous bodily harm with intent, was accepted by prosecuting counsel, Anthony O’Donohoe, avoiding the need for a trial.

However, the judge ordered a pre-sentence report and warned the youth that he faces a custodial sentence.

He was granted conditional bail and told he must not contact his victim in any way ahead of sentencing later this month.