Teenage ear biter jailed for five years

A TEENAGER who bit off part of a man’s ear because he thought he owed him money for drugs and later intimidated the victim while he was a witness in the case against him has been jailed for five years.

Mark Scanlon bit off and spat out part of Anthony’s Finnegan ear, then jumped on his car and threatened to “burn” him out and “petrol-bomb your gaff”.

Mr Finnegan was treated in the Mater Hospital were it was found that 25% of his upper ear was missing. It was repaired but a medical report concluded that he was likely to be left with “a permanent and visible facial deformity”.

Scanlon, aged 19, of Ballymun, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Mr Finnegan in December 2009, and to intimating him, a potential witness, in Ballymun in April 2010.

He also admitted to willfully obstructing the garda who tried to arrest him following the intimidation.

Judge Martin Nolan said it was an assault at the “higher end of the scale” and an extraordinarily serious offence. He sentenced him to four years for the assault and gave a consecutive one-year term for the intimidation.

Garda Kieran Kennedy told Cathleen Noctor BL, prosecuting, Mr Finnegan was at home with his partner and children when he heard a loud noise outside and went to investigate.

He found Scanlon on his doorstep, wearing a balaclava. Scanlon started to hit Mr Finnegan with plastic bags filled with bottles.

Mr Finnegan managed to knock the bags to the ground and recognised Scanlon when he pulled the balaclava off him. Two girls with Scanlon jumped on Mr Finnegan, forcing him to let go of the teenager.

Gda Kennedy said Scanlon then started throwing punches and kicks at the victim but he managed to get him in headlock.

Scanlon escaped from the hold and bit off part of Mr Finnegan’s ear.

Gda Kennedy said Scanlon was arrested soon after.

The following April, Mr Finnegan was awoken by a number of loud kicks to his front door and went downstairs to discover Scanlon and a second man standing in the roadway.

“You’re only a dirty rat,” Scanlon shouted. “You are not to have anything to do with the gardaí.” He then threw a brick at Mr Finnegan’s window.

Maddie Grant BL, defending, told Judge Nolan her client had an alcohol problem but had started to address it.