A PROTECTIVE father who tackled a teenager as he was whistling beneath his daughter's window, had part of his ear bitten off, a court was told yesterday.

When Gary Mandry found 19-year-old Ryan Lancaster beneath his daughter's window at midnight, and demanded that the teenager explain what he was up to, Lancaster threatened him.

The 41-year-old labourer told police that he was pushed and knocked to the ground by Lancaster who then assaulted him.

Witnesses said Mr Mandry had advanced towards Lancaster taking off his jacket and a struggle ensued in which Lancaster bit off half of Mr Mandry's right car.

Lancaster was arrested a fortnight later and said that he acted in self defence, Teesside Crown Court was told.

Jonnie Walker, defending, said that Mr Mandry already had six convictions for actual bodily harm and assault, and that he "drunkenly and incorrectly" presumed that Lancaster was making advances towards his daughter.

Mr Walker said that Lancaster deeply regretted the incident, describing it as "one of the biggest mistakes of his life".

"He has the good sense to recognise that this was an appalling act towards another with all the pain and scarring," he said.

Judge Tony Briggs told Lancaster: "It was a vicious and nasty injury that you inflicted.

"Biting has got even more common and a regular feature in the courts, and people are coming forward with dreadful injuries, and the courts must do what they can to discourage biting.

"On this night you acted in an appalling way. The sentence is very much less than it would have been but for the mitigation put forward."

Lancaster of Midlothian Road, Hartlepool, was sentenced to 21 months in a young offender's institution after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm, on April 2, in Wynyard Road, Hartlepool.