Jealous Chaddleworth man Luke Smyth ripped open love rival’s face

A RAGING man tore a love rival’s face open with his teeth.

The bite caused a serious ‘degloving’ – a traumatic injury where the top layers of skin and tissue are torn away from the underlying muscle, connective tissue or bone.

The victim needed plastic surgery and will be disfigured for life, Reading Crown Court heard on Thursday, December 7.

In the dock for sentencing for the “brutal and animalistic” attack was Luke Smyth of California Farm, Chaddleworth.

Alex Matthews, prosecuting, said there was bad blood between him and victim Lee Moss because Mr Moss, who was married to Smyth’s sister, had had an affair with his wife.

On Thursday, October 5, the court heard, Smyth’s mother Rachel Smyth called a garage to warn that her son was heading there seeking Mr Moss.

Ms Matthews said: “Her words were, effectively, that there was an incoming risk and to make sure no children were around.”

Smyth then turned up drunkenly wielding a pickaxe handle, smashing a car’s windows on the way as he closed in on Mr Moss.

As staff rushed to separate the pair, Smyth swung his weapon and missed – but then bit Mr Moss’s cheek, ripping off a flap of flesh.

The injury required plastic surgery reconstruction and resulted in permanent disfigurement, the court heard.

Smyth admitted assault causing grievous bodily harm, causing criminal damage and possessing an offensive weapon.

The latest offences were committed while he was subject to a community order for two drunken assaults in a pub five months previously.

David James, defending, said Mr Moss was married at the time to Smyth’s sister “and took advantage of that to commence an affair with Mr Smyth’s wife”.

Nevertheless, he added, “Mr Moss remained married to Mr Smyth’s sister and was tolerated, in that regard, as a member of the family”.

Things came to a head, the court heard, during an acrimonious split between Mr Moss and his wife.

Mr James said: “He was saying ‘I’m going to take half the house; I’m going to take the kids off you.’

“Mr Smyth went to the property to have it out with Mr Moss in what was clearly the wrong way.”

He added that his client now had a new relationship and was rebuilding his life while addressing his issues with alcohol.

Mr James pleaded for any prison sentence to be suspended to allow rehabilitation in the community.

But Judge Hassan Khan told Smyth he had engaged in a “brutal and animalistic attack.”

He said: “It was, frankly, bizarre...it was a full on bite which penetrated seven layers of skin, leaving tissue protruding from Mr Moss’ face.

“The visible, permanent scar will constantly remind him – he will wake up, look at his face and know you were the one who bit him, every day for the rest of his life.”

He sentenced Smyth to 28 months immediate imprisonment, half of which will be served behind bars and the remainder on licence in the community.

In addition Smyth was made subject to a seven year restraining order.