A VICTIM has hit out after the man who bit off part of his ear escaped imprisonment.

‘Genuinely remorseful’ Joshua Hall, 24 of St Alban Street in Weymouth, was told he was ‘lucky to be going home’ when he received a 12-month suspended sentence at Dorchester Crown Court after admitting unlawful wounding.

His victim, Carol Dziezyc, said he is disappointed Hall did not go in to immediate custody.

Hall’s barrister told of his ‘genuine remorse’ following the incident which happened in June this year. The court heard how Hall had been out drinking with friends in a number of establishments in Weymouth.

After leaving Dusk nightclub, he went across to the Esplanade where the complainant, Carol Dziezyc, was situated. An altercation occurred which led to Hall biting the victim’s ear, the court heard.

Anita Gibson-Lee, prosecuting, said of the victim: “He said he heard a crunch in his ear and he could feel he (Hall) was biting his ear off.”

The court heard Hall immediately spat out the lower part of Dziezyc’s ear and was later detained by police.

Ms Gibson-Lee told the court Dziezyc had plastic surgery to sew a new piece to the affected ear but he is afraid to go out.

In mitigation, Robert Pawson said Hall couldn’t remember biting the victim’s ear but conceded he must have done it.

He added: “This behaviour, while it was abhorrent, it was an aberration for this young man. It was totally out of character. He’s genuinely remorseful.”

Recorder Nicholas Hall said Dziezyc had received restorative surgery on the ear but there was likely to be a permanent disfigurement. He noted Hall’s good character, his ‘genuine expression of remorse’, his commitment to work and his plea of guilty made at the first available opportunity.

Hall received a 12-month custodial sentence suspended for two years, 150 hours’ unpaid work and was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation.

Recorder Hall told the defendant: “You are lucky to be going home. The facts that I’ve identified have just managed to keep you in the field of a suspended sentence.”

‘He should have gone to jail’

SPEAKING after the sentencing, victim Carol Dziezyc, from Poland, told the Echo: “I had to go back to hospital again on Thursday to get the rest of the stitching out. It still doesn’t look very nice.

“I think he should have gone to prison.”