40 months for man who bit off tip of best friend's nose

A MAN who bit off the end of his best friend's nose in a fight has been sent to a young offenders' institution for 40 months.

Charles Cassidy, 20, leapt on top of John Brash and pinned him to the ground before sinking his teeth into his nose, ripping the end of it off.

Mr Brash, 20, who now has to wear a silicon nose to hide the horrific scarring to his face, left Edinburgh Sheriff Court in tears after seeing his friend jailed.

Cassidy last month pled guilty to assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement and was sentenced today.

Sheriff Isabella McColl said the sentence would have been 48 months if Cassidy had not pled guilty early on.

"It's a very unusual offence, I'm happy to say, and it's an appalling offence which mutilated Mr Brash," said the sheriff.

"It must have been extremely painful and he's going to be left with the consequences of that."

The court was told the pair were friends since childhood after growing up in Tranent, East Lothian, together and had been at a party on February 23 when Cassidy squeezed hair-removing cream onto Mr Brash's head.

They fell out and Mr Brash went home, but Cassidy telephoned him later on asking to meet him at Coalgate Roundabout for "a square go".

There, Cassidy knocked his friend to the ground then straddled him and when Mr Brash called him "an animal", Cassidy replied: "I'll show you an animal."

Cassidy then leaned forward and put his mouth over Mr Brash's nose and bit down until the nasal tip came off, the court was told.

Bleeding heavily, Mr Brash got to his feet but collapsed onto a pavement moments later.

Cassidy used his top to stem the bleeding then drove Mr Brash to accident and emergency at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary instead of waiting on an ambulance.

Mr Brash was found to have an amputated nasal tip and was referred to St John's Hospital in Livingston for specialist treatment.

An operation to reattach his nose the following day failed and skin had to be taken from Mr Brash's thigh for a temporary graft onto his nose.

He spent six days in hospital and is due to return for more extensive reconstructive surgery next month.

Mr Brash has to attach a silicon nose every day using surgical glue and does not like to go outside because of people staring at him.

Cassidy has five previous convictions, four for assault to injury, and was on bail at the time of the offence.

At a special hearing to determine the circumstances, Cassidy claimed Brash had provoked him by punching him five or six times then jumping on him.

Sheriff McColl said she accepted both men had been drinking at the time and had agreed to fight.

Gary Miller, defending Cassidy, said: "This is a moment of madness which got out of hand in the heat of the moment.

"He's shocked, disgusted and embarrassed not to mention horrified at his own actions.

"Not only that but the effect this has had on Mr Brash and his family and friends."

Speaking outside court, Mr Brash's mother Joan Brash said her son was upset that Cassidy had been given such a long sentence but said she felt the sentence should have been longer.

The sentence will be backdated to March 6 when Cassidy was taken into custody.