A man who bit off a rival’s ear during a nightclub struggle in which he thought was “fighting for his life” has been ordered pay his victim £1,600.
Reece Fraser, 22, left Michael Johnston scarred for life by biting so hard on his earlobe he detached part of it.
Fraser, from Dundee, admitted attacking Mr Johnston to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement in Pout Bar and Nightclub in Dundee on August 14 2021.
He admitted punching him on the body, seizing him and causing both of them to fall to the ground before biting his ear lobe and detaching part of it.
‘Fighting for his life’
Solicitor Mike Short, defending, said: “The complainer is his partner’s former partner.
“My client tells me that in his mind he was fighting for his life.
“He recognises and accepts his responsibility.
“He recognised his behaviour was wrong from the outset.
“This incident goes back more than two years and there has been no further involvement between them.
“Alcohol was the primary problem – too much was consumed.
“It was a single incident we initially thought could be self-defence because of the circumstances.
“His position was that he was on the ground, at the bottom, and he bit.
“He should have tried something else, other than the biting, which caused the disfigurement.
“This was not random. Various incidents came into play – jealousy, alcohol and bad judgment. It was out of character.”
Mr Short added: “There’s no lasting pain. There’s no difficulty to hear.
“He will have to live with the loss of the bottom of his ear. This is an unusual case.”
Could not fix ear entirely
Fiscal depute Lynn Mannion previously told Dundee Sheriff Court Fraser had bumped into Mr Johnston as he was coming out of the toilets and they had a verbal exchange before the physical fight.
Mr Johnston was taken to Ninewells and referred to a plastic surgeon to have the injury repaired but it was not possible to restore the ear to its original shape.
Fraser was ordered to pay compensation and carry out 180 hours unpaid work, placed under supervision for two years and on a curfew for six months.
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