A FORMER soldier in the Australian army has dodged jail over a bite attack on a troublesome love rival.

Lloyd Wignall's victim needed stitches to a wound on his chin after the pair tussled outside a house in Saltburn, east Cleveland.

Wignall was with his partner when her ex-boyfriend turned up and started to cause problems, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The 32-year-old went outside to "scare" the other man away, but they ended up pushing each other and grappling.

In an interview with police, Wignall said he "instinctively" sunk his teeth into his victim when he was pulled towards him.

Julian Gaskin, mitigating, described him as man of positive good character without any previous convictions.

"He served his country in the Australian army and it seems having left through a serious road traffic accident, he embarked on a period of travelling and working with his father," said Mr Gaskin.

"He came to the UK, got qualifications, and went to college to do English, maths and carpentry because he didn't finish high school in Australia."

Wignall, of Ruskin Avenue, Saltburn, admitted unlawful wounding, and was given an eight-month suspended prison sentence with 120 hours of unpaid community work.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, told him: "From a difficult background, you have made good for yourself, and will no doubt have continued in the army had it not been for the car accident. This was a nasty offence in the sense you used your teeth to bite, but I accept it was an instinctive act by you after you got into a grappling match."