A man accused of biting part of a rival’s ear off before “smiling while chewing” has appeared in court.

Joe Hart claimed Danny Gray, of Margate, then “waved my bit of ear about” as he worked to stem the blood-loss.

But during his trial at Canterbury Crown Court this week 27-year-old Gray will argue he acted in self-defence, jurors heard.

A row flared up between the pair at Birchington Vale Holiday Park, Birchington, in the early hours of February 6 last year.

Police discovered an inch-long piece of Mr Hart’s ear discarded on the campsite shortly after the fight was reported.

Mr Hart, who lived on the site, told jurors a friend texted that morning saying her caravan “had been invaded – I need help”.

Gray and about eight others were drinking in the mobile home when Mr Hart and his friend tried ushering them to leave, the court heard.

'He was grinding his teeth and bit through my ear. I could feel him chewing.'

But a fight broke out between Gray and Mr Hart, who had also been drinking, jurors were told.

“He took me into a headlock and bit off my left ear,” Mr Hart said.

“He was grinding his teeth and bit through my ear. I could feel him chewing.

“I shouted out ‘he is biting my ear off’.”

When prosecutors asked what happened after he became free, Mr Hart replied: “I looked down at him, he had blood around his mouth, smiling at me.”

“What did you see in his teeth?” Mark Eldridge, prosecuting, continued.

“I saw flesh – my flesh,” Mr Hart replied.

Asked how Gray was behaving as he tried stemming blood-loss with a tea-towel, Hart replied: “He was down by the veranda waving my bit of ear about.”

Police were called at about 4.10am and Mr Hart was rushed to hospital before being transferred to Ashford’s William Harvey.

Medics cleaned and sealed Mr Hart’s wound as police worked at the scene and arrested Gray.

“PC Shelly searched surrounding caravans and found a small piece of flesh just over an inch long,” Mr Eldridge said.

Following his arrest Hart argued he acted in self-defence.

Meanwhile, medics told Mr Hart he suffered a loss of tissue from the left ear helix which would heal, however he would suffer a cosmetic deformity.

Mr Hart was asked to stand closely to jurors to display the residual damage he suffered as a consequence of his injuries.

Gray, of Gordon Road in Westwood, Margate, denies wounding Mr Hart with intent.

He is yet to argue his case.