AN AMATEUR footballer bit part of an opponent's ear off when a bad-tempered game turned into violence.

Bradford Crown Court heard that the five-a-side game, at Goals Soccer Centre in Bradford, saw was a rough game with bad behaviour on both sides.

Christian Raftery, 24, of Lodore Avenue, Eccleshill, Bradford, normally played rugby but was invited to take part in the soccer match, in January last year, by a friend.

Judge Peter Benson said the behaviour degenerated, so that both sides were trading blows.

He told Raftery: “You took the stupid decision to get yourself involved, and in during the course of a struggle you found yourself in a head lock. You attempted to punch the complainant [Mohammed Khan], then bit the top part of his ear off.”

Raftery’s barrister, Rebecca Young, said it was “simply an argument about a rough game of football that got out of hand”.

Judge Benson said he would prepared to treat it the offence as out-of-character as the defendant, who pleaded guilty to wounding, had learned his lesson.

He sentenced Raftery to 12 months' imprisonment suspended for two years, with 200 hours of unpaid community work, and ordered him to pay £1,000 compensation to Mr Khan.