Ex-soldier who bit off man's ear is told he faces jail
A former soldier who went out dressed as Colonel Gaddafi is facing jail for biting off a man's ear.
Geraint Jones, 25, bit Gwynant Jones after approaching him from behind at the Academy bar in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, on 31 October 2015.
Swansea Crown Court heard Jones did not intend to bite the ear off, saying it happened when he was pulled away.
Jones, from Aberystwyth, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm but was cleared of doing it with intent.
He said: "When I approached him, my intention was to bite his ear. It's a horrible thing to do but it was not my intention to bite it off.
"My intention was to bite his ear in order to shock him."
Prosecutor Ian Wright said: "He approached from behind and placed his hands on his shoulder before biting his left ear - ripping the lower section off."
Mr Jones was dressed as Colonel Gaddafi, the former leader of Libya, as part of a "bad taste" pub crawl.
Jurors were told Mr Jones' ear lobe was found on the floor by a barman, but it could not be reattached.
James Hartson, defending, said: "Before this incident, he is not a man who is known for being violent.
"He has described what he did as disgusting and reprehensible, he is not for a moment excusing his behaviour."
The court heard Jones had been in the army but left the forces to take up history and politics studies.
"He has worked in some of the most dangerous and hostile places in the world," added Mr Hartson.
Gwynant Jones, a mobile app designer from Machynlleth, Powys, said: "All I can remember is being at the bar and then suddenly feeling a lot of pain.
"I leaned forward and I think that's when my ear must have ripped off and I saw lots of blood."
Judge Geraint Walters released Jones on bail, telling him to expect jail when he is sentenced in March.
"The custody threshold is well past," he said. "His behaviour that night was quite bizarre, it's a very rare form of violence.
"This young man was completely innocent. He hadn't put a foot out of line or said a word, but he lost a significant part of his ear, which may or may not be reconstructed."