Jason Martin to be sentenced after biting into neighbour Richard Henderson's penis in row over XBox music
Published: 00:01, 14 September 2013
A near-toothless Dover man has been found guilty of biting and gnawing a neighbour’s penis in a row over loud music.
Jason Martin had told the jury: “I didn’t do that..I am not a gay man in any way. The thought of putting a man’s penis in my mouth..well it’s not for me. Not in a million years would I do it!”
But he had admitted grabbing Richard Henderson’s “bits and bobs” to defend himself during the scrap near their homes in Folkestone Road, Dover.
But a jury at Canterbury Crown Court found him guilty of wounding his neighbour with intent to cause him serious injury and he was remanded in custody for a month when he will be sentenced.
The prosecution had told how he attacked his neighbour, who was dressed in his pyjamas and no shoes, after receiving a text to turn down his music.
As the two argued, Mr Henderson made a jibe about Martin’s alleged drug abuse and a fight broke out.
But the 41-year-old, who had denied the offence, claimed he was punched first and then held in a headlock before being kicked.
Mr Henderson, who was covered in blood from the alleged attack, was taken to hospital where surgeons had to stitch his penis.
He told the jury that his penis had been bitten “like it was a sandwich”, causing him “excruciating pain.”
He was asked what it was like and replied: “My willy was not attached to the rest of my body...I have never experienced that kind of pain to this day and I don’t want to experience it ever again.”
Photographs of the injury were later shown to the six man-six women jury panel after being told “they don’t make pleasant viewing!”
The court heard that when police officers interviewed Martin after the bust-up he still had blood around his mouth.
Martin claimed that was from a “fat lip” he received from a punch and not from biting the penis, telling the jury: “I have only got a couple of teeth in the lower part of my mouth...I can’t even bite into a hard-boiled egg!”
He was asked to show the jury his lack of teeth, saying he had dentures but only used them "for cosmetic reasons".
He added: “I accept that I did grab his testicles, not maliciously or to hurt him badly.”
Martin said that he had had a text from Mr Henderson’s partner, Michelle Hilton, about how loud the music was on his XBox.
He said he went to the neighbour’s flat because he thought the complaint was unfair and was grabbed by Mr Henderson who then tried to “ram my head into a metal staircase”.
"I have never experienced that kind of pain to this day and I don’t want to experience it ever again" - attack victim Richard Henderson
Martin broke down in the witness box during his trial and wept after admitting he had told police officers “I have not done anything to him”
He said: “I had just grabbed around him (Mr Henderson), I didn’t realise at the time that I had done anything to him. It was just a rat bite. I just grabbed into an area, I didn’t realise at the time it was his testicles.”
Judge Adele Williams asked: “You must have felt his penis and testicles in your hand?”
Martin replied: “I didn’t know if it was his penis or his testicles or his upper leg or arm. I didn’t know what it was. I was just getting beaten up and I was scared.”
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Paul Hooper