A 26-year-old Inverness man who bit a chunk out of his partner’s cheek in a jealous temper was jailed for three years yesterday.
Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald was shown photographs of the horrific injury at Inverness Sheriff Court with fiscal depute Roderick Urquhart warning her: “two of the photographs are particularly gruesome.”
When the Sheriff jailed Jones, she told him: “This was an assault which displayed a horrifying amount of aggression, requiring considerable and sustained force.
“The injuries were disturbing to see and your victim will have an obvious disfigurement for the rest of her life.”
Lawrence Jones, of Balloan Road, admitted assaulting Alexandria MacLean to her severe injury and permanent disfigurement in a house in Morrison Place, Acharacle, in the early morning of October 8, 2016.
Mr Urquhart told the court that the pair had been in a relationship for around six months and had been out drinking with another man, Ruairidh Findlay, in the Shiel Hotel.
They returned to Morrison Place and Jones accused Alexandria and Mr Findlay of forming a relationship,
“He told Mr Findlay to get out of the house and then assaulted Alexandria initially punching her on the face and head.
“He then bit her on the right lower cheek, severing a piece of flesh completely from her face causing a significant injury.
“She then fled from the house and hid in a parked vehicle.”
Mr Urquhart said Jones went to Ms MacLean’s house and threatened her again.
The police were called and he was arrested. The piece of flesh, measuring 2in by 2in was later found by officer, lying on the kitchen floor.
Mr Urquhart said Ms MacLean was first treated in Belford Hospital before being transferred to Glasgow because of the severity of the wound.
Defence solicitor Marc Dickson said the pair had been consuming alcohol and drugs and his client couldn’t recall much of what took place.
“He is shocked about how he behaved and horrified at the injury he inflicted.”