Man jailed for biting through ex-partner's lip 'like an animal' during violent altercation at Sheffield hotel

A 33-year-old man who bit through his ex-partner’s lip ‘like an animal’ during a violent altercation at a Sheffield hotel has been jailed for a year.
Mark Taylor was jailed for a year during a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court today (Wednesday, July 10)Mark Taylor was jailed for a year during a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court today (Wednesday, July 10)
Mark Taylor was jailed for a year during a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court today (Wednesday, July 10)

In the hours leading up to the attack on June 1 this year, defendant Mark Taylor spent the day at Doncaster Races with his partner and members of her family, who were there to celebrate her cousin’s birthday. 

Carl Fitch, prosecuting, told Sheffield Crown Court during the hearing held today that the group subsequently moved on to a sports bar in Ecclesall Road, Sheffield where there was a reception with an open bar. 

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“The defendant took full advantage of it [the open bar],” said Mr Fitch.

He added: “He was told to calm his drinking down by the complainant and members of her family. He didn’t heed those warnings and continued drinking.” 

Taylor and the complainant got into an argument during the taxi ride back to the Sheffield hotel they were staying at, and Taylor was told to ‘stop being abusive,’ the court heard. 

Mr Fitch said: “At the hotel, the complainant took the defendant to the room and was hoping he would get in bed and go to sleep. But unfortunately, he continued with the abuse...the complainant got up [from the bed] and the defendant pushed her back and then got on top of her and started punching her to the face, in her words, ‘like a boxer’.” 

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“She managed to push him off. He got back on her, grabbed her by the throat and sunk his teeth into her lip…she again got him off her, and managed to get into the corridor shouting for help. A guest found her naked from the waist down and covered in blood. She took the complainant into her room,” said Mr Fitch. 

Taylor was arrested at the scene. 

The complainant, who has children with Taylor, said she suffered swelling and bruising to her face, a swollen upper lip and impact marks on either side. 

In a statement read to the court, the complainant said: “This has changed my whole life, and has changed my children’s lives. I never thought he would do this to me.”

Taylor, of Centurion Row, Runcorn pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm at an earlier hearing. 

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Addressing Judge David Dixon, Clarkson Baptiste, defending, said: “Mr Taylor comes to court knowing Your Honour faces a stark choice. He made as many admissions as he possibly could at the police station.”

“He has shown his remorse in a number of different ways,” added Mr Baptiste and referred the judge to letters Taylor had written both to the complainant and the court. 

Judge Dixon jailed Taylor for 12 months. 

He told him: “On this night, you behaved in a completely disgraceful way. Whilst in drink, you set about your partner, who I must assume, you loved. Treating her like a rag doll, punching, punching and punching her. Grabbing her by the throat and biting her. It was said to me when I was young that the only people who bite are animals, and you bit her so hard you bit through her lip.”

“I was like an animal,” replied Taylor.