A man sunk his teeth and bit off part of a man's ear on a festive night out on Prince of Wales Road, in Norwich, a court heard.

Robert Hisgrove, 24, intervened on behalf of a woman he thought was being upset by the victim in a kebab shop and launched the attack leaving the victim permanently disfigured with the loss of part of his ear, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Martin Ivory, prosecuting, said: 'He intervened on her behalf, became very close to the complainant and for reasons best known only to himself he found himself sinking his teeth into the man's ear and tearing a portion from it.'

Mr Ivory said the victim has been left permanently disfigured as the missing part of his ear could not be reattached or reconstructed.

In an impact statement the victim said not only has it left him with a disfigurement but he finds it embarrassing as he is constantly having to deal with inquiries about what happened to his ear.

Mr Ivory said it was a 'painful and unpleasant' injury he received in the attack, which happened in the heart of city's clubland.

Hisgrove, of Goulburn Road, Norwich admitted wounding with intent on December 23, last year and was jailed three years.

Sentencing him, Judge Andrew Shaw told Hisgrove, who was tearful in the dock, that he accepted he was genuinely remorseful but said the victim had been left permanently disfigured.

He told him: 'You used your teeth to bite him which was akin to the use of a weapon.'

Judge Shaw added: 'You have disfigured him for the rest of his life and each time he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror it will be a reminder of when you, a complete stranger, bit off part of his ear.'

Judge Shaw accepted it had been a short-lived incident and had occurred when Hisgrove had been drinking with other festive revellers in the bars and clubs on Prince of Wales Road.

Gavin Cowe, for Hisgrove, said he was full of remorse immediately it happened and said it had been a 'brief and fleeting' encounter.

Mr Cowe said that Hisgrove was of previous good character and handed in references to the court from his employer and family.

'There is a single point of contact. He made admissions at the scene and expressed remorse.'