A BRICKLAYER who bit part of a man's lip off in a drunken brawl has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail.

William Hardman, 35, of Nickstream Lane, Darlington, carried out the attack on Paul Taylor following an innocent remark made about a pizza, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The missing part of Mr Taylor's lower lip was sewn back on largely successfully by surgeons in an emergency operation.

At an earlier hearing, Hardman admitted a charge of wounding with intent.

Richard Bennett, prosecuting, said the complainant had been out in Darlington on January 10 this year and was walking with friends to a taxi rank in Bondgate.

Hardman and his girlfriend were walking in the same direction and sharing a pizza when he dropped a piece on the floor.

One of the group then joked: 'I bet that was your best bit', said Mr Bennett.

"Whether Hardman was offended by this flippant remark is not clear, but he went over to the group and singled out Paul Taylor, who hadn't done or said anything at all."

Hardman grabbed Mr Taylor and pinned him to the floor, pushing his face into his and using his teeth to get hold of his bottom lip.

Mr Bennett said: "The defendant then bit deep into his lip and pulled his head away with the lip in his mouth."

The court was told that Mr Taylor lost a 2cm by 3cm part of his lip which was picked up from the floor by a police officer after he had cried 'Get my lip - get my lip'.

Paul Cleasby, for Hardman, a bricklayer, said he was a hard-working man with a devoted family and had co-operated fully with the police.

Both men had been drinking heavily on the night of the attack and Hardman could not remember the incident.

Judge Tony Briggs rejected calls for an intensive probation order to be given to Hardman.