Teenager bit part of stranger"s ear off

After drinking 20 cans of beer and arguing with his partner a Kilcormac teenager bit part of a stranger"s ear off because he was in a bad mood, a sitting of Tullamore District Court was told on Wednesday. Keelan Hand (18), 3 Bridge Street, Kilcormac, admitted assaulting a man who was not known to him at Kilcoursey in Clara on May 26, 2008. Inspector Joe Prendergast said the defendant, who was 17 years old at the time of the assault, claimed he had attacked the man because he wasn"t in a 'good mood' following a row with his ex-girlfriend. This other young man was seriously assaulted, in fact his part of his ear was bitten off, Inspector Prendergast told Judge Elizabeth MacGrath. According to his solicitor the defendant accepted full responsibility for the attack, 'the only explanation at that time was that he was drunk out of his mind'. The circumstances surrounding the assault raised the question, where did he get the alcohol stated the solicitor, who expressed his belief that things might have been different had the man not 'consumed 20 cans of beer'. The defendant"s grandfather, Patrick Deegan, expressed shock at the incident. He said he knew the defendant as a quiet helpful young man who would never raise his voice. 'I"m just shocked and horrified Judge,' said Mr Deegan. He suggested the assaulted could only be explained by the 'cursed use of alcohol and perhaps drugs'. Expressing sadness at the teenager 'going down the wrong road', Mr Deegan said, 'it"s just beyond comprehension that he is here in front of the court today'. On hearing the defendant had six previous convictions, Judge McGrath said she had no choice but to impose a custodial sentence. The defendant received a six months sentence and recognisance was fixed at €350.