Walsall man bit brother in face 'in self-defence'
A young Walsall man who bit his brother in the face during an argument at their parents’ home has escaped being jailed.
Kalib Townsend, 21, had pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to wounding his brother Kyle Giles with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.
But on the day of his trial he pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of unlawful wounding on the basis that he had acted in ‘excessive self-defence.’
That led Judge Andrew Lockhart QC to comment: “There are degrees of excessive. Here, a man’s face is bitten.”
Townsend, of Hilary Street, Walsall, was staying at his parents’ home in Rugby when the incident happened and was sentenced to 15 months in prison suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and to take part in a rehabilitation activity for 20 days.
Prosecutor Charles Crinion said that in January Townsend had had an argument with his girlfriend and had moved back to his parents’ address in Turchil Walk, Rugby.
On January 3, while his parents were away, he and his older brother began to argue about his girlfriend.
Mr Crinion explained that Townsend had said he wanted to go back to his girlfriend, but that Mr Giles had responded by telling him she was not good for him.
Townsend became very angry and aggressive, and as the argument became more heated, the brothers went towards each other, and grabbed hold of each other.
“There was a scuffle, and punches were thrown, and in the course of that, this defendant bit Kyle Giles to the cheek with considerable force, causing a wound," Mr Crinion said.
“Eventually he let go and left the house, but then returned and threw further punches before being told to leave, which he did, and Kyle Giles called the police.”
When they arrived, Townsend approached the officers, and after he was arrested he claimed he had been acting in self-defence, added Mr Crinion.
