by Julia Roberts

A man who bit off a friend’s ear after they fell out one evening has walked free from court.

A judge at Maidstone Crown Court told Gurmukh Goraya he could impose a suspended prison sentence as there was "room to conclude" that he had resorted to "excessive self-defence" when he severed Satish Kumar's right ear.

Father-of-one Goraya, 32, was convicted by a jury of unlawful wounding. He was cleared of the more serious offence of wounding with intent.

The court heard violence broke out while Mr Kumar was house-sitting at his brother Onkar’s home in Maritime Gate, Gravesend, on February 19 last year.

He and Goraya, known as Gus, decided to watch football on television together and have a few drinks. They were later joined by Goraya’s friend, Balraj Sohal.

Mr Kumar said the men became "boisterous" when, after midnight, he told them it was time to leave.

He claimed Mr Sohal, 19, of Coutts Avenue, Shorne, struck him over the head with a whisky bottle and, after he was bundled to the floor, Goraya bit into his ear.

"I just couldn’t believe what was happening," he said. "Everything was just squirting out of me.

"the photographs of the injuries were horrific and the jury's reaction ... was one of revulsion" – judge martin joy

"Because my elbows were in the way, he couldn’t get a good grip on my ear with his teeth. He finally got what he wanted – he took a piece of my ear off."

Goraya, of Vauxhall Crescent, Northfleet, admitted biting Mr Kumar's ear but claimed he acted in self-defence.

Passing a 12-month jail term suspended for a year, Judge Martin Joy said: "This was an isolated incident and I accept it is highly unlikely you are going to repeat this violent behaviour.

"I accept that this was almost certainly impulsive on your part, but it was extreme and it involved serious injury."

Goraya must carry out 200 hours unpaid work and attend six sessions of a Home Office-accredited specified activity programme.

The court heard that Mr Kumar underwent reconstructive surgery, which Judge Joy described as "remarkable".

"The photographs of the injuries were horrific and the jury's reaction (to them) was one of revulsion," he added.

Mr Sohal denied both charges and was cleared by the jury.