A man bit off part of his cousin’s ear, leaving him requiring reconstructive surgery following a family dispute, a court heard.
Andrew Montgomery then chased Dean Montgomery, who was carrying the severed part of his ear in his hand, before knocking him to the ground and repeatedly punching him.
The 34-year-old, of Drumlanrig Drive, will be sentenced next month.
He admitted assaulting Dean Montgomery by causing him to fall to the ground, struggling with him, biting off part of his ear, pursuing him along the road, knocking him to the ground and punching him repeatedly on the head and body, all to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement in Dens Road on July 30.
The court heard there had been a family dispute about a grave plot and exchanges had taken place in the two weeks or so prior to the incident.
Andrew Montgomery approached his cousin in Dens Road and they had started fighting. Both men fell to the ground and Dean Montgomery became aware of the accused biting his ear.
Depute fiscal Trina Sinclair said: “The accused had a grip of his ear in his teeth and the complainer was afraid to pull away in case his ear became detached.
“He was then aware of part of his ear falling to the ground. He picked it up at this time and had it in his hand.”
The victim then managed to get to his feet and ran back down Dens Road towards Alexander Street.
Ms Sinclair said: “The accused caught up with the complainer and knocked him to the ground and repeatedly punched him on the head and body.”
Members of the public witnessed the attack and called the police. Andrew Montgomery was seen getting into an orange Vauxhall Corsa and driving off.
Officers later apprehended him in Drumlanrig Drive. Mr Montgomery was taken to Ninewells where he needed 24 stitches to his ear.
The amputated part of the ear was not deemed fit for reattachment. The court heard that two rib cartilages were harvested from his chest in March this year and carved into the shape of the missing part of his ear and then covered with a skin flap taken from behind his other ear.
A victim impact statement from Dean Montgomery was submitted to the court by Ms Sinclair.
Jack Brown, defending, said there had been a long-standing family dispute and that Dean Montgomery was “not the shrinking violet in the victim impact statement”.
Sentence was deferred for reports until October 17.