BESTWOOD: Jail for thug who bit off man’s ear

Simon Richardson, 35, of Ridgeway Walk, Bestwood, Nottingham, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to eight years in prison for GBH with intent.

He will also serve 18-months for witness intimidation, to run consecutively.

Martin Keeling (pictured), 38, of Hanworth Gardens, Arnold, attempted to threaten the victim into dropping the case against Richardson and was sentenced to 18 months in prison for witness intimidation.

The sentences were handed to the pair on Thursday 14 November 2013 after a jury found them guilty. They had pleaded not guilty throughout the trial.

Richardson was travelling in a taxi which as it turned into Church Street, Arnold, mounted the kerb almost striking a pushchair carrying a child.

The father acted quickly to pull the buggy out of the way of the car. But the taxi then pulled up further down the road, letting Richardson out. He proceeded to cross through traffic before launching the savage assault.

Richardson got out of a taxi in Church Street, Arnold, and attacked the father who was walking with his family, on 29th June 2013. After shouting abuse and throwing punches, Richardson bit off part of the man’s ear and spat it to the ground.

He then got back to the taxi which drove away.

Richardson was arrested on July 4 and charged with wounding with intent and witness intimidation.

The day before his arrest his associate Martin Keeling had visited the victim at his home address and made threats that he ‘would be back’ if the court case wasn’t dropped.

DCI Karen Pearson said: “This was a savage, unprovoked attack carried out against a man out with his family. The complete disregard for his pregnant partner, their two children and the general public is sadly, proof of the danger Richardson presents.

“I hope this jail term sends the message that this level of violence will not be tolerated by not just the police and the courts, but by members of the public. The victim in this attack, along with his partner, has shown great strength in seeing this case through, especially given the level of intimidation they experienced.”