A WOMAN fled almost naked from a lover who bit her, a court heard.

The 35-year-old met Christopher Briddick, 36, in a bar in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, one lunchtime.

Prosecutor Shaun Dodds told Teesside Crown Court yesterday how Briddick claimed he had sex with the woman in his bedroom.

But then he started to bite her body. A doctor who examined her hours later found six bites, two of which drew blood.

Mr Dodds said. "The woman fled into the street wearing just white leggings.

"She went half naked and in great distress from door to door until a resident let her into his house. He called the police."

The doctor said the bites were inflicted with some force. The woman also had a facial injury from a single blow, and another to her left ear where her earring had been ripped out.

Briddick was naked and drunk when he answered his door to police that afternoon, and they recovered clothing she had left behind.

He said that they went back to his house hoping for sex, but had no memory of biting or assaulting her. However, swabs taken from her body and traces of saliva matched Briddick's DNA.

Rod Hunt, defending, said the pair were drunk and it was clearly a passionate encounter.

"They lost control and he quite clearly got carried away with passion which had to a part been reciprocated."

Briddick pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm on October 22 last year.

He denied attempted rape and was found not guilty after the Crown offered no evidence.

Briddick, of Hillbrook Street, Bishop Auckland, was ordered to pay his victim £500 compensation and was also fined £500.