Latest news with #KellbankHotel
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Shocking moment drinker bites off EAR of 'bar room bore' and spits it on the ground as both are jailed over vicious pub brawl
A drinker shockingly bit off a pub goer's ear and spat it out in a brutal bar brawl caught on CCTV. Paul Connor sunk his teeth into Christopher Hewer's ear, tearing it clean off before spitting it onto leaving a horrified woman to scoop it up. The moment came during a fight at the reception of The Kellbank Hotel and Restaurant in Gosforth, Newcastle. A court heard how the woman placed the ear on serviette, as staff desperately tried to contain the chaos. And Connor later posed for a police mugshot that clearly showed the ear missing. Violence erupted just before midnight on July 8, 2023, after a 'drunken' and loud-mouthed Hewer was seen irritating fellow punters by getting in their faces. Hewer staggered across and was being a 'bar-room bore' and started talking to tree surgeon Connor, who moved away from the 'incessant chat' as staff tried to calm things, Prosecutor Tim Evans told Carlisle Crown Court. Hewer initially walked off but then came back to the bar and threw a punch towards Connor's seated group. And matters quickly exploded when they moved to the hotel reception, and 'violence continues and significantly escalates', and a six-person fight kicks off, Mr Evans added. Hewer's partner, Antonia Holliday, could be seen punching out at another customer, and being punched. Connor kicked her, was punched by her and was then punched by Hewer before the two exchanged more blows. In a harrowing escalation, Connor then used both hands to grab Hewer's head, leaning towards him and biting his left ear completely off before spitting it onto the ground. Hewer initially appeared oblivious to the savage act, while Holliday fell after being punched to the head by Connor. Mr Evans said: 'It is to the credit of a number of people, none more so than the staff member, that they try to stop the violence.' Connor, 33, of Speke, Liverpool, admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and also affray. Hewer, 44, and Holliday, 36, both from Distington, admitted affray. Kim Whittlestone, defending Connor, said the father-of-two had acted out of character as 'something snapped' when he was provoked. Appliance engineer Hewer, who appeared in the dock wearing a head bandage on June 20, had undergone a medical procedure earlier in the week in preparation for having a prosthetic ear fitted in. 'Even after two years, he is feeling the effects,' said Marion Weir, mitigating, adding that Holliday acted 'entirely out of character'. Connor received a four-and-a-half-year jail term from Judge Michael Fanning, who accepted he was provoked by Hewer and had not gone looking for trouble. Jailing him, Judge Fanning said: 'But I have to deal with you for what you have done - you have used a weapon to inflict this injury. 'Use of the teeth is a weapon.' Hewer was jailed for 18 months while Holliday's 15-month custodial term was suspended for a year, with the judge noting she was the sole carer of two children. Sentencing Hewer Judge Fanning said: 'You started this. 'You provoked Mr Connor to the position he found himself in - you came out of this very much the loser with a very serious injury.' Holliday must complete 200 hours' unpaid work and also received an alcohol ban.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Man's ear bitten off in vicious late night bar brawl caught on CCTV
Christopher Hewer had his left ear bitten off by Paul Connor but both were jailed for their part in the brawl in Gosforth, Cumbria last year which was captured on CCTV A 'bar room bore' had his ear bitten off in a vicious late night attack captured on CCTV, a court has heard. Horrific footage from inside the Kellbank Hotel in Gosforth, Cumbria, showed Christopher Hewer having his left ear bitten off by Paul Connor as he tried to escape his 'incessant chat', Carlisle crown court heard. Tim Evans, prosecutor, said that a drunk Hewer was "being the bar-room bore" and a fight involving several people ensued after he approached stranger Paul Connor at about midnight on July 8, 2023, who initially tried to move away from his "incessant chat" The pair came to blows and Connor used both hands to grab Hewer's head, leaning towards him and biting his left ear completely off before spitting it onto the ground. A stunned female bystander collected the severed ear in a serviette, the court heard, as customers and the only member of staff attempted to stop the fight. Connor, 33, of Fenton Close, Speke, Liverpool, admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and also affray. He received a four-and-a-half year jail term from Judge Michael Fanning, who accepted he was provoked by Hewer. "But I have to deal with you for what you have done," said the judge. "You have used a weapon to inflict this injury. Use of the teeth is a weapon." Hewer, 44, of West View Road in Distington, near Workington, Cumbria, admitted affray and was handed an 18-month prison sentence. "You provoked Mr Connor to the position he found himself in," said Judge Fanning. "You came out of this very much the loser with a very serious injury." Hewer's partner Antonia Holliday, 36, of Hinnings Road, Distington, Cumbria also took part in the violence that night, the court heard. Cumbria Police released a custody photoof Hewer with his left ear missing. CCTV footage shown during the hearing showed her punching out at another customer, and being punched. Connor kicked Holliday and was punched by her, before the physical altercation with Hewer. She was given a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, with the judge noting she was the sole carer of two children. She must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and an alcohol ban. The judge considered background information on all three, hearing they were sorry for their wrongdoing. Connor, a tree surgeon and dad-of-two, had acted out of character as "something snapped" when he was provoked, said his barrister Kim Whittlestone. Appliance engineer Hewer, who wore a head bandage during the sentencing hearing, underwent a medical procedure with a view to a prosthetic ear being fitted. "Even after two years he is feeling the effects," said Marion Weir, mitigating. Holliday could be seen punching out at another customer, and being punched. Connor kicked Holliday and was punched by her. Connor was struck by Hewer before the two men exchanged blows. Connor then used both hands to grab Hewer's head, leaning towards him and biting his left ear completely off before spitting it onto the ground. Hewer initially appeared oblivious to the savage act, while Holliday fell after being punched to the head by Connor. Mr Evans said: 'It to the credit of a number of people, none more so than the staff member, that they try to stop the violence.' A stunned female bystander collected the severed ear in a serviette. Holliday's 15-month custodial term was suspended for a year, the judge noting she was the sole carer of two children. She must complete 200 hours' unpaid work and an alcohol ban.
BBC News
20-06-2025
- BBC News
Gosforth bar brawl sees two jailed after man's ear bitten off
Two men have been jailed over a late-night brawl which saw one of them tear the other's ear off with his was captured by CCTV footage inside the Kellbank Hotel and Restaurant, Gosforth, Cumbria, at about midnight on 8 July Tim Evans told Carlisle Crown Court that a drunk Christopher Hewer was "being the bar-room bore" and a fight involving several people ensued after he approached stranger Paul Connor, who initially tried to move away from his "incessant chat".The pair came to blows and Connor used both hands to grab Hewer's head, leaning towards him and biting his left ear completely off before spitting it on to the ground. A stunned female bystander collected the severed ear in a serviette, the court heard, as customers and the only member of staff attempted to stop the 33, of Fenton Close, Speke, Liverpool, admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and also affray. He received a four-and-a-half year jail term from Judge Michael Fanning, who accepted he was provoked by Hewer and had not gone looking for trouble. "But I have to deal with you for what you have done," said the judge. "You have used a weapon to inflict this injury. Use of the teeth is a weapon."Hewer, 44, of West View Road in Distington, near Workington, admitted affray and was handed an 18-month prison sentence. "You provoked Mr Connor to the position he found himself in," said Judge Fanning. "You came out of this very much the loser with a very serious injury." The court heard Hewer's partner Antonia Holliday, 36, of Hinnings Road, Distington, also took part in the violence that footage shown during the hearing showed her punching out at another customer, and being punched. Connor kicked Holliday and was punched by her, before the physical altercation with was given a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, with the judge noting she was the sole carer of two children. She must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and an alcohol judge considered background information on all three, hearing they were sorry for their a tree surgeon and dad-of-two, had acted out of character as "something snapped" when he was provoked, said his barrister Kim engineer Hewer, who wore a head bandage during the sentencing hearing, underwent a medical procedure earlier this week with a view to a prosthetic ear being available to him. "Even after two years he is feeling the effects," said Marion Weir, mitigating. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man's ear bitten clean off by tree surgeon during Cumbria pub violence
A MAN is facing a lengthy prison sentence for biting another man's ear clean off during violence which flared at a west Cumbria hotel. Paul Connor, 33, was one of three people who appeared in the dock at Carlisle Crown Court this morning (Friday). They were charged following an incident which is said to have occurred at the Kellbank Hotel in the village of Gosforth, near Seascale, on Saturday, July 8, 2023. Connor pleaded guilty to two offences. He admitted unlawfully and maliciously wounding Christopher Hewer with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm. Connor further admitted affray — using or threatening unlawful violence towards another which would cause a person of reasonable firmness, present at the scene, to fear for their personal safety. Hewer, aged 44, of West View Road, Distington, near Workington — who had his ear completely bitten off by Connor — was also charged following the incident, along with Antonia Holliday, 35, of Hinnings Road, Distington. Hewer and Holliday appeared in the crown court dock earlier in the day — separately to Connor — and both admitted a charge of affray. Lawyers representing Hewer, Holliday and Connor all asked for the preparation of probation service pre-sentence reports before the punishments of their respective clients were handed down. Judge Michael Fanning agreed. He set a provisional sentencing date in the week of June 20 this year, and all three defendants were granted bail in the meantime. Judge Fanning told all three that they would receive appropriate discounts to their eventual sentences in recognition of their guilty pleas. The Kellbank in Gosforth, where the violence flared (Image: Google StreetView) He told Hewer and Holliday: 'This is a serious incident, however. You appreciate that. Every sentencing option is available to the court.' Kim Whittlestone, mitigating for Connor, told the court he was a father-of-two who worked as a tree surgeon. 'He knows it is going to be a lengthy custodial sentence,' said Miss Whittlestone. The barrister successfully asked for Connor to be granted bail so he could put his affairs in order before the sentencing hearing. Addressing Connor, of Fenton Close, Liverpool, Judge Fanning said. 'You know they are serious matters. You know the likely outcome.' The judge added: 'Co-operate with probation. The contents of their report are bound to assist you, even if the (sentencing) outcome is the same.'
