Man bit off love rival’s finger

Published Jan 25, 2013

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London - A British man who bit off the tip of a love rival's finger at a school play was on Friday sentenced to 11 months in jail.

Lee Wilkinson, 40, was angry at Michael Dent for having an affair with his wife while he was away with work, and tensions boiled over when the pair met while attending their children's Christmas nativity play in December 2011.

“A scuffle broke out and during the fight Mr Dent put his hand in the defendant's mouth,” prosecuting lawyer Bridie Smurthwaite told Newcastle Crown Court in northeast England.

“The defendant then bit hard on the finger. Mr Dent forcibly pulled his hand away and the injury then occurred.”

Wilkinson had admitted wounding and a public order offence, and his lawyer said in his defence that he had retrained as an offshore worker to support his family, and was angry to return home and find his wife had been unfaithful.

Judge Simon Hickey said he could not suspend the jail sentence because of the nature of the offence, although he did reduce the amount of time Wilkinson will serve in jail because of his guilty pleas and character references.

“That is the least I can impose given my duty and what the public must view as a very serious offence,” the judge said. - Sapa-AFP

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