East Belfast man who bit partner on lip leaving her with “three centimetre gash” jailed

An East Belfast man who bit his partner on the lip leaving her with a “three centimetre gash” was today (Tuesday) handed a 27-month sentence.

Judge Gordon Kerr KC told Stephen William McClelland that he will serve half his sentence in custody and the remainder on supervised licence following his release from prison. McClelland, 35, of Knocknagoney Avenue, had previously pleaded guilty to a single charge of unlawfully and maliciously wounding the woman.

Belfast Crown Court heard police were contacted by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service at 5.43am on October 8, 2022, about an ongoing domestic incident at a flat in the Short Strand area of east Belfast.

Prosecution barrister Kate McKay told the court that when police arrived at the flat officers found the victim “hanging off the bed”, with bleeding to the face and a “three centimetre gash to her bottom lip”.

The prosecutor added: “She was in considerable pain. She told police that McClelland dragged her around the room.”

The victim told police she had been asleep when McClelland and his friend came into her bedroom and McClelland accused her of “texting other people”.

Mrs McKay said the victim tried to leave the flat but McClelland “dragged her back in”.

“She says he told her to tell the police that she caused the lip injury herself.”

Following the attack, the victim was taken to the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald where she received surgery and stitches to her lip. She says the injury to her lip had made her feel “self-conscious”.

After the attack, McClelland was arrested by police and made a no comment interview to all questions.

The prosecution said that among the aggravating features were that McClelland had “used his teeth as a weapon”, along with a large number of previous convictions he had including five entries for assault on police, an assault and two common assaults.

Defence barrister Declan Quinn said that there had been a domestic history between the parties and McClelland’s guilty plea was welcomed by the prosecution which saved the victim from having to give evidence at trial. He added that although McClelland had convictions for a number of assaults, none of them were for “serious violence”.

Mr Quinn told the court that McClelland had expressed remorse and had shown insight into the suffering sustained by the victim. In a pre-sentence report, the Probation Service said McClelland did not pose a danger to the public in the future.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Gordon Kerr KC said: “I have considered all matters concerned and the use of teeth as a weapon is a serious matter in terms of the assault and that it involved a domestic relationship at the time. On his record there is no evidence of serious harm being caused. On occasions that may have been more by luck than by design.”

The judge imposed a restraining order of five years as the prosecution said this would give “comfort” to the victim even though there is no longer any contact between the parties.

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