UK Poker Player Receives Prison Sentence For Ear Bite
A UK poker player has been sentenced to three years in prison for violating attacking a fellow player and biting off part of his ear during a poker tournament. The incident, which took place in January 2014, saw Nicholas Salisbury, 27, become aggressive towards his opponent Robert Reed and challenge him to a physical fight during the tournament at the Ipswich Central Conservative Club. Reed declined, but was set upon by Salisbury when he later stepped outside for a cigarette break. Salisbury knocked Reed to the ground with a punch to the face, and when Reed stood up he then engaged him in a headlock.
Salisbury proceeded to bite off part of Reed’s ear, which had to be grafted back to his body when he was later rushed to the hospital. As well as the permanent ear disfigurement, Reed suffered a shoulder injury and burring to the eyes.
Salisbury pleaded guilty and in his defence he stated that he had been drinking very heavily that day and did not recall much of the incident. In court he apologised for the injuries he caused to Mr Reed. He was able to avoid a harsher sentence but the judge strongly condemned his violent actions.
“Unfortunately when you have too much to drink you behave aggressively,” Judge Rupert Overbury told Salisbury in court. He concluded that Salisbury’s attack on Mr Reed was “unprovoked and extremely violent. Every time he looks in the mirror he will be reminded of that evening”. Salisbury, in addition to his prison term, is completely barred from contact with Reed in any way in the future.
