A promising young student who in a “moment of madness” bit off the nose of a friend during a drunken brawl was spared immediate custody and ordered �2,000 compensation to his victim.

A promising young student who in a “moment of madness” bit off the nose of a friend during a drunken brawl was spared immediate custody and ordered �2,000 compensation to his victim.

Aaron Piggott, 19 sank his teeth into the nose of his friend James Sidroy when he tried to calm things down outside a Thetford night spot following a dispute Norwich Crown Court heard on Monday.

Mr Sidroy who was 17 at the time did not realise the full extent of his injury until the next morning when he realised the end of his nose was missing.

Douglas Mackay, prosecuting said Mr Sidroy had to be transferred to Addenbrookes Hospital and had to undergo four separate operations. Mr MacKay said that one operation involved him having part of his ear removed to help reconstruct his nose.

Mr Sidroy who is now 19 did not report the matter to police until nearly a year after the incident.

The court heard that the two teenagers were now friends again and Piggott who was also 17 at the time of the incident was now at university and hoping to become a PE teacher.

Piggott of Melford Bridge Road, Thetford, admitted unlawfully wounding Mr Sidroy.

Recorder Simon Spence ordered him to pay �2,000 compensation to his victim and imposed a nine month custodial sentence suspended for 18 months. He also imposed a five month curfew and ordered him to do 200 hours unpaid work.

He told Piggott: “in a moment of madness fuelled entirely through excess drink you bit the nose off a person who had been a close friend.”

He said as a result Mr Sidroy had had to have extensive surgery and would be scarred for the rest of his life. However he said he was suspending the custodial sentence because of the exceptional circumstances which was the delay in bringing the case to court, the fact he was only 17 at the time and also the fact that the two men had resumed their friendship.

He said even so the sentence was likely to have a significant impact on his future career.

Jonathan Goodman mitigating said Piggott was full of remorse “he has never denied what he did”. He added “he knows it is going to have a serious effect on his employment prospects once he qualifies as a teacher.”

He said the incident had happened when he was only 17 and said: “he is not going to trouble the courts again.”