Mum slams 'excessive' jail term

Now relatives of Jess Morris have launched a campaign, backed by a 600-name petition, to get the sentence reduced on appeal.

His mother, Maureen, said she did not condone what her son had done but insisted far more serious crimes had resulted in people receiving shorter jail terms.

Victim Nathan Hunt was maimed after trying to stop a row between Morris, 29, and his girlfriend.

Mrs Morris, 58, said her son felt genuine remorse and had apologised to his victim. His dreams of becoming a lawyer had been shattered and he would struggle to get a job.

She believes the punishment did not fit the crime, especially as Morris had no previous convictions.

She highlighted the case of Graham Travers, jailed for five and a half years for causing a crash in Portland Road, Hove, which killed two young women and maimed another.

Mrs Morris, of Prince's Terrace, Kemp Town, Brighton, said: "It's just not on. This was a one-off incident and it has cost Jess his life. He is very sorry for what he has done.

"He is not proud of biting the man's ear but he is full of remorse and is undergoing counselling. To be given five years despite having no previous convictions is unbelievable.

"We were told to expect a two and a half year jail term if he was convicted but when the judge said he would be put away for five years my daughter and I passed out.

"It was the worst day of my life and I keep crying. We know it is completely unacceptable to bite people's ears but the sentence was not on."

Mrs Morris, who runs PC Pickles sandwich bar in Francis Street, Brighton, said a lifetime of hard work by her son has been wasted.

After GCSEs and A-levels at Stanley Deason School and Brighton, Hove and Sussex VI Form College, Morris attended Southampton and Brighton Universities where he was expected to graduate this month.

He spent a year teaching children English in Korea and helped his father with his sign-making firm to help finance his studies.

Mrs Morris said: "What has Jess worked all his life for? He has been given a life sentence because no one will ever give him a job anywhere.

"This is one of the reasons I'm so devastated, because he has worked so hard. He doesn't come from a private school background, just a Whitehawk school."

Mrs Morris visited her son at Lewes Prison before he was moved to Elmley Prison in Sheerness, Kent.

A 600-name petition opposing the length of his sentence has been gathered by friends.

Mrs Morris said she, her husband Christopher, 53, and their daughter Rebecca, 25, had been inundated with messages of support.

She said: "There are a lot of people who can't get their heads around the sentence. We hope people will listen because I can't bear thinking of Jess sitting in prison.

"He has done a lot of good in his life yet all that has been overlooked."

Morris was convicted this month after Lewes Crown Court heard he attacked Mr Hunt in West Street, Brighton, on November 16 last year.

Mr Hunt, 22, a driver for a security firm, spent three days in hospital.

He was on his way home after a night out with his friend Simon Annis and Mr Annis's girlfriend, Sara Heath when they saw Morris rowing with his girlfriend Lola Gray.

The row started after Ms Gray received a mobile phone call from a man who spoke to Morris and told him he had had sex with her.

Mr Hunt, from Shoreham, and Mr Annis did not know the couple but stopped to see if Ms Gray needed help.

Morris then launched an attack on Mr Hunt. He grabbed him and bit off part of his ear, which police found later in the road.

As Morris ran from the scene he punched Ms Heath in the mouth, knocking her to the ground.

Morris, of Wilmington Way, Patcham, Brighton, claimed he was the innocent victim and said the two men attacked him. He said he acted in self-defence when he bit Mr Hunt's ear because he feared for his life.

The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict convicting Morris of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He was found guilty by a ten-two majority of common assault on Ms Heath.