Man guilty of biting off his friend's nose

David Phelps was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm to Robbie Walker, with whom he once worked.

Phelps bit it off the end of Mr Walker's nose during a late-night doorstep scuffle.

Phelps, 34, admitted causing the horrific injuries but denied he had done it deliberately and was cleared of the more serious charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

He said he was trying to defend himself after he was punched and slapped as Mr Walker's wife and a neighbour tried to pull him off Mr Walker.

A jury took just 30 minutes to find Phelps guilty yesterday after a two-day trial at Hove Crown Court.

Phelps, of Iden Street, Eastbourne, faces a lengthy prison sentence because he has previous convictions for violence.

He was remanded in custody while a report on whether he is a danger to the public is prepared.

He will be sentenced on August 23.

Father-of-one Mr Walker, 29, said: "I am pleased with the verdict and the fact that someone who is capable of doing this is off the streets.

"But at the same time I am sad because Dave Phelps was my friend until this happened and I didn't want to see him inside."

The court heard that both men had worked for the same removal firm in Eastbourne.

Phelps had gone to Mr Walker's home in Winchcombe Road after hearing rumours that he was going to be sacked.

He wanted to ask his friend if what he had heard was true and to get Mr Walker to intervene with their boss.

Mr Walker was dozing on the sofa next to his wife Emma, who answered Phelps' knock at the door at 11.30pm on September 25 last year.

Mr Walker said he was still half asleep when he heard voices in the hall and went to see who was there.

He said he was annoyed but not aggressive with Phelps because his two-year-old son was asleep upstairs.

Mr Walker told the jury: "Next thing he came at me and put his teeth around my nose and bit it off.

"We went down on the ground and my wife was trying to get him off me.

"He had his mouth around my ear and he told me to get my wife off him or he would bite my ear off as well."

The couple's neighbour who heard cries for help said she had pulled Phelps' hair as she helped Mrs Walker get him off Mr Walker.

Phelps told the jury: "I didn't leap into the doorway like he said, he came towards me and we scuffled.

"I bit his nose because everyone else was punching and slapping me and I wanted to get them off.

"I did not think I was biting it hard and I did not intend to bite Robert's nose off.

"I was just holding his nose in my teeth but I didn't bite it hard.

"I was gutted when I was told what I had done but I was stunned when he came at me like that.

I was just trying to defend myself.

"Rob was a good pal and I have lost him as a friend now."