Man Bit Cabbie's Ear In 'frenzied' Assault
15 July 2009
A Scarborough man who bit the ear of a taxi driver during a frenzied assault has been jailed for 15 months.
Lee Hudson, 28, of Overdale in Eastfield, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm – just weeks after taking part in an attack on a man as he lay on the ground.
Appearing at York Crown Court, Hudson pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm and one of affray.
Prosecuting, Stephanie Hancock said the first incident took place shortly after midnight near Scarborough Town Hall.
Victim Jonathan Lyth had been with a woman when he was suddenly punched on the side of the face and knocked to the ground, where he was set upon by a group of three or four men including Hudson.
Mr Lyth fell unconscious and was kept in Scarborough Hospital overnight.
Another man, Richard Scales, was also taken to hospital and while neither was left with lasting injuries, Mr Scales was said to be suffering from tenderness to one of his ears.
The other attack happened during a taxi ride from St Thomas Street to Eastfield. Hudson and his partner were heading home from a night out and he and the driver initially enjoyed some light-hearted banter before Hudson "flipped".
Ms Hancock said: "He lost his temper and reached forward between the two front seats and grabbed the complainant to pin him to the head-rest as he was pulling in to park.
"He then bit the ear of the complainant causing instant pain and bleeding and tried to bite the complainant's nose, but was unable to. Then he repeatedly punched his face and pulled the complainant so his body was in the back and his legs in the front."
She said the taxi driver was having trouble breathing, but Hudson carried on punching him, despite efforts by his girlfriend to get him to stop.
The driver needed eight stitches to the tear in his ear and was also left with bruising and swelling to his face, neck, throat, arms and shoulders. According to a victim statement, he was left nervous and scared and could no longer cope with taxi driving in the Eastfield area.
Glen Parsons, in mitigation, said Hudson accepted he had a problem with binge drinking, which changed his personality dramatically.
He said in the first incident, he believed Mr Lyth had spat at his female companion, while he claimed the taxi driver had been "bragging about some form of domestic abuse".
Mr Parsons said: "He accepts he has a problem with anger management and alcohol. He says he abhors domestic violence and he was a victim of it as he grew up."
Sending him to jail for nine months for the assault on the taxi driver and a further six months each for the two other offences, to be served concurrently, Recorder Stephen Ashurst said: "I realise it will have an impact on your wife and children, but at the end of the day that's your fault because of your inability to cope with your temper."
Source; Malton & Pickering Mercury - maltonmercury.co.uk
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more pathetic excuses for why to$$ers do what they do