A PhD student at Trinity College who bit off the bottom of a man's ear during what may have been an epileptic seizure has been given an 18-month suspended sentence and was ordered to pay his victim €10,000.
Andrew Norris (26), Violet Hill Park, Glasnevin, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Keith Doyle at Solas bar, Wexford Street, on August 17th, 2003.
Mr Seán Gillane BL, defending, told Judge Yvonne Murphy that although medical evidence was given in court that Norris has suffered from epileptic seizures for a number of years, his defence team was not linking this to the assault.
Garda Rory Geelan told Caroline Biggs BL, prosecuting, that Norris bumped into Mr Doyle while he was staggering about in the pub. Mr Doyle requested Norris to be careful but instead he squared up to him. Mr Doyle turned his back.
A few minutes later Mr Doyle felt Norris chewing on his ear. A struggle ensued and the two fell to the ground but were separated by security men working in Solas.
Garda Geelan arrived to find Mr Doyle outside the pub with the bottom portion of his right ear missing. He was covered in blood. He was taken to St James's Hospital, where it was found he had tissue loss of 1.75cm to his right ear lobe. He attended a plastic surgeon to reconstruct the ear, which required two operations, but his right ear is still 15 per cent smaller.
Garda Geelan agreed with Mr Gillane that Norris was not normally an aggressive person.
Dr Timothy Lynch told Ms Biggs in cross-examination that it was possible Norris had had an epileptic seizure. "A person can get violent before, during or after the seizure," he said.
Norris told Judge Murphy he wished to convey his 100 per cent sincere apologies to Mr Doyle and his family. "I want to take full responsibility for my actions," he said.
Mr Gillane told Judge Murphy that his client had a "monetary token" of €5,000 in court to express his remorse but he stressed that this is not to be accepted as compensation.
Judge Murphy said Norris was very fortunate not to be charged with a more serious offence. She also noted Norris's previous good character. She sentenced him to 18 months in prison but suspended it and ordered him to pay Mr Doyle an additional €5,000.