A MAN who bit off 60 per cent of another man’s ear in an “act of grotesque savagery” in the centre of Aberystwyth has been jailed for nine years today.

But his friend who started the trouble received a sentence of only 12 months.

John Howell, 27, had been convicted by a jury at Swansea crown court of wounding with intent.

Howell, of Bwlch yr Allt, Cwmduad, near Llandysul, was also found guilty of affray, as was Roland Ardizzoni, 26, of Church Street, Llandysul.

Ardizzoni was described by the judge as “the trigger for a significant degree of widespread disorder” at 2.30am on May 17 last year.

Near the Clockhouse the pair walked passed a group of men that included Luke Williams, who was out socialising with friends after they had spent the day playing golf together.

There was a "very brief exchange of words" but nothing else happened at that stage.

But Ardizzoni turned and threw a coin at Mr Williams’ group and the two groups confronted each other.

Howell was by far the most aggressive but it was Ardizzoni who threw the first punch.

Howell then launched a "no holds barred" attack on Mr Williams, and bit him at least twice before tearing off most of his left ear.

The violence was filmed by a CCTV camera and Ardizzoni, once a soldier in the Welsh Guards, could be seen "trying to punch just about everyone he could see."

Mr Williams was taken to hospital and although a friend found the piece of ear in the street surgeons could not reattach it.

After they had been arrested both Howell and Ardizzoni claimed they had been attacked and had defended themselves.

Today, Mr Recorder PA Hopkins, described that as “a recent invention.” He said Howell, who at the time was serving a community order for an offence of battery, had used his mouth as a weapon.

“You caused an horrendous injury. Mr Williams will be disfigured for the rest of his life.

“It was grotesque savagery,” he added.

Mr Recorder Hopkins told Ardizzoni he had been responsible for widespread disorder on the streets of Aberystwyth.

Ardizzoni’s barrister, Carina Hughes, said that when police showed him the CCTV footage he was so disgusted with himself he asked them to turn it off.

Howell’s barrister, James Hartson, said he had to accept that his client already had four convictions for violence but said he had struggled with mental health issues for many years.