A thug has been jailed after he bit off part of another man’s nose during an evening out in Dewsbury.

Leeds Crown Court heard Jamie Edwin Jackson had previously been a friend of David Howe and after they bumped into each other in the town centre on July 4 they went drinking together.

Mehran Nassiri said Jackson’s partner was also present and around 7pm Mr Howe, 34, decided to “play a prank” by removing her mobile phone from her coat pocket.

Jackson saw what he was doing and asked for the phone back and when he refused he punched Mr Howe in the face a few times.

Mr Nassiri said Mr Howe then ran away into Abbey takeaway on South Street but was pursued by Jackson who threw him to the floor causing the victim to hit his head on the floor.

They briefly struggled together before Mr Howe got free and ran out to a taxi parked outside but Jackson continued to follow and grabbed him from behind in the taxi.

He then bit him on the nose exposing the cartilage and was seen by witness to spit some flesh out. Mr Howe was treated in hospital for a bruised eye, a laceration to the back of his head, he had a tooth missing and was scheduled to have reconstruction on his nose.

Leeds Crown Court
Leeds Crown Court

The court heard Jackson had 29 previous convictions for 64 offences including both assault and battery.

Ashok Khullar, representing him, said he had been provoked by the other man refusing to return the phone but was genuinely remorseful.

“He is horrified by his own behaviour that night and knows he must be punished.”

He was planning to do courses in prison to help his job prospects on release.

Jackson, 29 of Rouse Mill Lane, Batley admitted grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Howe and was jailed for four years nine months.

Judge Christopher Batty told him: “There is no doubt had he not taken the phone you would not be sat where you are.”

“He said that was a prank. Whether it was more than a prank perhaps doesn’t matter because you certainly didn’t believe it to be funny nor did you believe it was intended as a joke and that was reinforced when he did not give you the phone back when you asked for it.”

“You were therefore provoked but what you then did was totally unacceptable.”

It was his ninth offence involving the use of violence although none were as serious and the judge added “I accept you are rightly ashamed.”

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