Rainworth man had part of his face bitten off by best pal and ‘left lying on the floor’
A Rainworth man who had part of his face bitten off by his "enraged" best friend and "left lying on the floor" has been permanently scarred, a court has heard.
Craig Coombes had downed two bottles of wine in his pal's flat on Preston Road along with two other men when one of them burned the back of his neck with a hot cigarette lighter, on November 17, 2020.
Coombes hit his friend in the head and stormed out before returning to the flat looking “enraged”, said Gareth Gimson, prosecuting.
He sank his teeth into victim’s jaw and tore off a piece of his flesh which was left lying on the floor.
His victim's brother found Coombes outside and said: “You have bitten his face off.”
Coombes just shrugged and walked away. He was arrested two days later and denied inficting grievous bodily harm until January this year.
The flesh couldn't been sewn back into place and a skin graft took place leaving him with a permanent scar.
In a statement, his victim said he became withdrawn and isolated because of his appearance, but hoped Coombes would be punished fairly.
“A tragedy sits at the heart of this,” said Mr Gimson. “He and (the victim) were good friends since they were teenagers.”
Nottingham Crown Court heard Coombes has eight previous convictions for 12 offences, including domestic battery in 2017.
On Thursday, Judge Stuart Rafferty KC told the former lorry driver he felt “aggrieved and disappointed his old friend hadn't taken his side after he was burned.”
“I have absolutely no doubt you wish you could turn back the clock. You have inflicted real punishment on yourself.
"You have not been working. You are lucky still to be alive. I am concerned that you are still depressed and you need real help. You need to get yourself back on an even keel. It is a tragedy that you ever got yourself in this position.”
Bianca Brasoveanu, mitigating, said he was waiting to be sentenced before looking for another job and is properly medicated for depression now.
Coombes, 53, of Birchwood Road, Nottingham, received 18 months, suspended for two years, with a 12-month primary mental health treatment requirement, 25 rehabilitation days and a 120-day alcohol monitoring tag. A five year restraining order was imposed.