Love rival left Sunderland victim's lip 'hanging off' after savage attack

David Gray sank his teeth into his victim's face and caused a three-inch wound, which will leave a lifelong scar, then told him "you can have her".

Newcastle Crown Court heard Gray's long-term relationship had recently ended and his victim had been seeing the woman for about four weeks when the violence erupted in December 2016.

Prosecutor Jolyon Perks said Gray had been in the neighbourhood that night when he saw the other man through the window of his ex's home and went in.

Mr Perks said: "The man approached him with a chair. A struggle ensued and during the course of the struggle he got on top of the man and bit him to the lip, causing injuries that required stitching and left him with a permanent scar.

"It is visible scarring to an obvious area of his face."

Mr Perks added: "He said after the incident, after he had been bitten, the defendant got up and said 'you can have her' then left."

The victim told police: "I suffered a nasty injury to my lip and had to go to hospital immediately. I describe the lip as hanging off.

"The injury was around three inches long."

The man said he thought the attack resulted "from jealousy" in relation to his relationship with Gray's ex.

Gray, 33, of Maypole Close, Sunderland, admitted causing grievous bodily harm.

Mr Recorder Ben Nolan QC sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 80 hours of unpaid work and a £3,000 compensation order.

Charlton Carr, defending, said Gray is a jobbing scaffolder who is hard working and looks after his family.

Mr Carr added: "He has no violence on his record.

"This was a spur of the moment, stupid act, self defence gone wrong."