A man who bit off part of a man’s ear in an Eccles pub has been jailed for four years.
Shaun William Jones, 34, of Cromwell Road in Eccles, attacked his victim while the man was volunteering his time taking photographs at an 18th birthday party at the Royal Oak pub in May 2015.
Jones attacked the 57-year-old, sinking his teeth into the man’s ear as he remonstrated with him for stealing sandwiches from the party.
The victim was left with permanent scarring and his ear “hanging by a thread”, the court heard.
The court was told how Mr Jones had been a member of far right groups including the English Defence League and the North West Infidels, and had a string of previous convictions, including for domestic violence and shouting racial abuse.
At the time he was running a removals company.
On the night in question Mr Jones was in the pub while the birthday party was happening in a second room.
The court heard that he was drunk and high on cocaine at the time.
The Royal Oak pub in Eccles.
Pubgoers in the Royal Oak were shocked by the violent attack: the pub itself is well-regarded in the local community and not known as a hotspot for trouble.
When Jones’ brother Daniel, of Anson Street in Eccles, was challenged over stealing sandwiches, he reported back to Shaun, who punched the photographer in the head.
The man fell the floor where Daniel continued the assault, punching him in the head and body.
The man’s professional camera equipment suffered over £1,000 damage in the incident, the court was told.
Shaun Jones leaned in and grabbed the man when he rose from the floor, biting off part of his ear.
Incredibly the victim finished photographing the birthday party before taking himself to Salford Royal Hospital for plastic surgery to his ear.
The court heard that Shaun Jones had breached his bail conditions by contacting the victim on Facebook to apologise.
The victim said that he took this at face value and forgave Jones, telling the court that he did not wish the man to be jailed.
However, when Jones’ violent past was revealed the judge had no choice but to pass a custodial sentence.
Shaun Jones pleaded guilty just before the trial started of one count of GBH (Section 18 wounding with intent). For this he received a 20 per cent reduction in his sentence.
He was jailed for four years and told to pay a Victim Surcharge of £120.
Daniel Jones received a sentence of a 12 month community order with 60 hours unpaid work.
Shaun Jones put his head in his hands as the judge read out the sentence. When his brother was sentenced the pair hugged in the dock.
The photographer told SalfordOnline.com that he bears the pair no ill-will but feels that justice has been served.
Main image: Facebook
