Beautician, 26, who bit off her boyfriend’s nose and spat it out on date from hell is spared jail
A BEAUTICIAN who bit off her boyfriend’s nose during a ”date from hell” has been spared jail, a court heard.
Bronwyn Downs, 26, sunk her teeth into Luke Berry’s face during a drunken row after they got thrown out of a trendy wine bar for scuffling with some of the customers.
As Mr Berry recoiled in agony, Downs spat out the end of his nose exposing his nostrils in the brutal attack.
She then ran off leaving bystanders to tend to her boyfriend as he stood bleeding profusely outside the Drawing Room bar in Bramhall, Cheshire.
Downs was later found slumped in a neighbouring street having taken prescription medication, the court heard.
Mr Berry was treated in hospital for his injuries and has been left with a permanent facial disfigurement following the horrific attack.
Despite his wounds he refused to cooperate with cops investigating the attack and called for Downs to get support not punishment.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Downs admitted wounding and was sentenced to 12-months jail suspended for 16 months.
Duncan Wilcock, prosecuting told how the pair had met each other back in 2021 and they got on well, rarely arguing.
He said: “The defendant described her as a happy, lively person. He had been on nights out with her before and there had been no issues on those occasions.”
On the night in question, the pair had drunk cocktails in a number of bars in the areas, including at Piccolino.
They then went to a venue called the Drawing Room on Bramhall Lane South drank there for an hour with Downs seeming “slightly more drunk at this point”.
Mr Wilcock continued: “There was a jukebox at the venue and the defendant went over to use it. The complainant followed her but looked back to see another woman take his empty seat.
“He went over to ask her to leave and she did. Soon after that, a second woman once again took his seat. He went over to talk to the second woman and the defendant said ‘what’s going on.
“The groups started to become abusive towards each other and someone picked up and threw a glass. A melee broke out and door staff came over to break it up.”
He recalls the defendant spitting the end of his nose, his nostrils, onto the floor. He then noticed a flood of blood on the floor.”
Duncan Wilcock, prosecuting
The court heard how a member of the door staff put Downs in a headlock before Berry came over to help her and ushered her out of the venue.
When the pair got outside the venue Downs told Berry that she had left her bag inside just before she clamped down onto his nose with her teeth and pulled, the court heard.
Mr Wilcock continued: ”He recalls the defendant spitting the end of his nose, his nostrils, onto the floor. He then noticed a flood of blood on the floor.
“He asked for help from people around him and somebody called the ambulance and police before being taken to Stepping Hill Hospital.”
Downs was found later by cops on Bramhall Lane South, drifting in and out of consciousness after taking the medication.
She was later arrested and in an interview told cops she had blacked out and doesn’t remember anything, the court was told.
As well as refusing to give a victim statement or his medical report to the police, the court heard Berry also requested that the court did not impose a restraining order between them.
‘HEAT OF THE MOMENT’
In mitigation, defence counsel Mr Chudi Grant said the attack was “not planned” and “was done in the heat of the moment”.
He added: “They were in a happy relationship with few difficulties prior to this. She is petrified of going into immediate custody.
“She feels remorse, shown by the fact that she tried to overdose after the incident.”
“She is trying to focus on the future. She is very much doing what she can to get her life back on track. She is the author of her own misfortune and she is still coming to terms with what she’s done.”
In sentencing the judge Mr Recorder Michael Blakey told Downs: “This was an unwarranted attack. A nasty attack. Perhaps you were drinking more than you can cope with.
“This offence is completely out of character, clearly you are remorseful and have considerable insight into what you did.
“You are an educated young woman that has suffered trauma at a young age and I believe there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.”
Downs will also have to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation activity days.