Wanklyn was grappling on the floor with her friend Christopher Wilkinson

Michelle Byrne (pictured) stamped on Aaron Wanklyn while he was grappling on the ground with her friend Christopher Wilkinson

A 32-year-old woman who stamped on the head of a man with her stiletto heels who had called her 'as fit as f**k' when she passed him in the street has been freed by a judge today.

Irish national Michelle Byrne stamped on Aaron Wanklyn while he was grappling on the ground with her friend Christopher Wilkinson.

In a scene described by a witness as 'like something out of The Walking Dead', Wilkinson bit Mr Wanklyn on the left cheek, severing a 'large chunk' of flesh, Gloucester crown court was told.

Dublin-born Byrne, of Edinburgh Place, Cheltenham, admitted unlawfully wounding Mr Wanklyn, 27, and was cleared by a jury of a more serious charge of wounding him with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

She was sentenced by Judge Michael Harington to a 12 months jail term suspended for 18 months and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work and pay Mr Wanklyn £450 compensation.

Wilkinson, of O'Brien Road, Springbank, Cheltenham, admitted wounding Mr Wanklyn with intent to do grievous bodily harm and was jailed for three years and nine months.

The court heard that everyone involved in the incident was drunk during a night out in Cheltenham on Aug 29, 2014.

Byrne and Wilkinson were walking along Regent Street, Cheltenham, when Mr Wanklyn and his friend Liam Ogden passed them going the other way.

Mr Wanklyn, a window fitter, commented to his friend that Byrne was 'as fit as f**k.' Although he could be seen on CCTV turning towards the couple and rolling up his sleeves he then walked off around a corner.

Byrne and Wilkinson went after him and Wilkinson could be seen breaking into a run as he disappeared around the same corner.

The court was told he attacked Mr Wanklyn and the two men went to the ground trading punches. When Mr Wanklyn got on top of his attacker, Wilkinson pulled his face down and sank his teeth into his cheek.

He maintained the bite for about 20 seconds, leaving an horrific wound needing 60 stitches and reconstructive surgery. Part of Mr Wanklyn's cheek flesh was found still on the road the next day by police.

In a victim impact statement Mr Wanklyn said the biggest impact on him has been the permanent horseshoe shaped scar left on his left cheek which he sees every day when he looks in the mirror.

It is hard to explain to people why it is there and it makes him look like a thug, he said. He was particularly concerned by the effect it had on a woman who moved away from him in a waiting room, presumably because of his appearance, he said.

'I am conscious about where I stand in photos, turning my head to the side,' he stated. 'I am worried that people look at me as a thug now.

Mr Wanklyn, a window fitter, commented to his friend that Byrne was 'as fit as f**k.' Although he could be seen on CCTV turning towards the couple and rolling up his sleeves he then walked off around a corner

Byrne (pictured left and right) was sentenced by Judge Michael Harington to a 12 months jail term suspended for 18 months and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work and pay Mr Wanklyn £450 compensation

'I try to be bubbly at work but find it quite draining having to put on a brave face. I tell people my scar was the result of a rugby injury.'

Despite that, he said, he did not hold a grudge against Wilkinson.

The court heard today that neither Wilkinson nor Byrne had any previous convictions although she had been reprimanded for involvement in an affray when she was a teenager.

Wilkinson had worked for five years as an engineer with a leading car manufacturer while Byrne had a job in Tenerifre at the time of the offences. She now has a production line job to go to in a Cheltenham factory next month, the court was told.

For Wilkinson, solicitor Mark Linehan said 'He wishes to say sorry to the court and to Mr Wanklyn for what he did. He has profound remorse.'

The court was told he attacked Mr Wanklyn and the two men went to the ground trading punches. When Mr Wanklyn got on top of his attacker, Wilkinson pulled his face down and sank his teeth into his cheek

What happened was entirely out of character for Wilkinson and his family were bewildered that he could have done such a thing, he added.

In jail on remand for the last year Wilkinson's behaviour had been exemplary and he was one of only two trusted inmates released from his cell during a recent lockdown to serve food to the other 100 inmates, Mr Linehan said.

Jon Holmes, for Byrne, said she had shown remorse from the outset.

She had told police 'It is sickening. I am sickened by it. It was an unprovoked attack which just turned really nasty. You go out to have a laugh not to get hurt. If I did that with my shoe I need to understand myself. I shouldn't get involved in two boys having an argument. I am a girl. I feel ashamed.'

She had a new job to start on August 8 earning £7.50 to £8.50 an hour, Mr Holmes added.

Judge Harington, passing sentence, described Mr Wanklyn's cheek injury as 'horrific.'