A father has told of hearing a sickening crunching sound “like somebody eating cornflakes” - and then discovering part of his ear had been bitten off.

Ian Hayward told a jury his attacker, alleged to be Ruben White, then held the piece of flesh up “like a trophy”.

The middle-aged builder added he was also sprayed with bleach and beaten with a stick during the incident in a Medway street.

He was giving evidence by video link from Spain, where he lives, at the trial of White, 28, Liam Hudson, 28, and his 27-year-old girlfriend Amelia Waters.

Hudson and Waters, both of Station Road, Rainham, and White, of no fixed address, deny wounding Ian Hayward with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assaulting his son Samuel Hayward causing actual bodily harm and affray.

Hudson also denies possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and he and White also deny two charges of having an offensive weapon.

Waters further denies one charge of having an offensive weapon.

Maidstone Crown Court heard there had been bad feeling towards the Hudson family.

Prosecutor Peter Alcock said on November 2 last year, Samuel was with his girlfriend Charlotte South and their six-month-old child in their Mitsubishi Shogun driving along Richmond Road in Gillingham.

They passed Hudson standing by an Audi A3 driven by Waters. They followed the Shogun. Samuel phoned his father, who was working at a house nearby, to tell him about the situation.

When Miss South stopped at traffic lights, Waters pulled alongside and shouted: “Don’t smile ------ ----, I will bite your ------ nose off.”

"I initially felt very little pain but I just heard like a crunching noise, like somebody eating cornflakes if you like" - Ian Hayward

Miss South replied that they had a baby in the car and she should back off.

She then drove to Cavendish Avenue where Ian Hayward was working. She went into the house with the baby.

The car containing Waters, Hudson and White stopped in the middle of the road and all three got out carrying weapons.

They approached Ian and Samuel Hayward and made a group attack on them, said Mr Alcock.

Ian Hayward said in evidence he was being held face down over a car bonnet when he heard the crunching sound.

White, he said, then retreated and boasted as he held up the piece of ear.

“I initially felt very little pain but I just heard like a crunching noise, like somebody eating cornflakes if you like,” he said.

“At that point of the noise he released me from my neck hold and retreated. I stood upright and turned around to where he was and he was retreating with my piece of ear in his right hand saying ‘I’ve got your ------- ear’.

“Although this guy had my ear in his hand, because I felt no pain it felt surreal. Until I put my hand up to my ear and saw the blood I didn’t realise it was actually my ear he had.

“The whole incident happened very quickly. He was showing me my ear, almost blase like a trophy, saying ‘You’re not ------- getting it back’.

“I remember him shouting to my son, Sam, ‘I’ve got your old man’s ------- ear’. I was just standing there in a state of shock.

“I don’t think I have ever been in a situation like that and I never wish to be in one again like that.”

Mr Hayward lost the upper part of his right ear and needed reconstructive surgery.

The trial continues.