Mother who bit off part of man's finger locked up for nine years

Vicious Lisa Pace used broken crockery to wound Sean Coates who she accused of making a statement to police about another matter.

The 34-year-old from Tipton then stubbed a cigarette out on his face and bit off part of his index finger in the row at the flat she shared with Terrance Freeman, aged 44.

The mother-of-two, of Slater Street, denied inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm but was convicted after a trial.

Freeman also denied a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was convicted by a jury. He was jailed for 18 months but was expected to be released almost immediately having served 12 months on remand.

Judge Stephen Eyre QC said to Pace: "You attacked him with broken crockery and a broken teapot, which you used to cause wounds to his head and leg. He was sitting on the settee unable to offer any resistance.

"You stubbed a cigarette out on his nose and bit his index finger. It was a long, vicious, prolonged attack.

"He suffered wounds to his head, leg, face, nose and the severance of a finger. This was a sustained attack on a victim in a position of weakness. It took place in the context of drink and over the giving of a statement to police."

Birmingham Crown Court heard the three had been drinking at Pace and Freeman's flat on February 27 last year.

Mr Coates was visiting Freeman who had been ill. However, a row erupted over whether Mr Coates had retracted a statement he had given to police in other criminal proceedings.

Pace and Freeman punched and kicked their victim causing minor injuries. After that first attack ended, Pace began her bloody assault.

Judge Eyre said: "There were two phases of violence; as Coates held Pace's arms away you both attacked him, punching and kicking him, then matters calmed down.

"The second matter involved just Pace. The vast majority of the injuries were inflicted by you, Pace, in the second phase of the attack."

Andrew Keogh, defending Pace, said she had descended into drink following the breakdown of a relationship.

He added that Pace had been gaining qualifications in prison and said: "Already the signs are she is different from the angry drunk woman who went into custody. She has two young sons, the young one still very young."