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A mum-of-two attempted to take her own life after a pregnant woman acted like a "wild animal" when she bit a chunk out of her face at a house party

Kate Nield, 27, required skin graft surgery after Claire McCluskey sunk her teeth into her during the incident in Southport, Merseyside, on February 26. McCluskey was spared jail because of the impact prison would have on her children.

The victim was left with permanent scarring and said looking in the mirror after the attack was "like a horror movie". She was also plagued by flashbacks.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how the victim subsequently tried to take her own life, the Liverpool Echo reports .

Judge Neil Flewitt QC said the fact McCluskey had to care for a young family, is of previous good character, entered a guilty plea, has a good job and has shown genuine remorse influenced his decision to hand down a suspended sentence.

He said: “What you did was the behaviour of a wild animal rather than a civilised human being.”

(Image: Daily Mirror)

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

McCluskey, 29 - a mum-to-be when the incident occurred - previously admitted one count of wounding.

Judge Flewitt says: “On balance I have concluded that I do not need to send you immediately to prison.”

(Image: Daily Mirror) (Image: Daily Mirror)

He handed her two years behind bars, suspended for two years, plus 180 hours of unpaid work.

She was told to pay the victim £1,000 in compensation.

The defendant, of Brook Close, Southport, left her victim with a horrific injury and a gaping hole to the right side of her mouth.

The judge said: “It’s clear that this incident and the consequences of it were one of a number of contributory factors in a recent attempt by Katie to take her life.”

She first noticed a chunk of face was missing when she looked at herself in the mirror.

(Image: MEN)

McCluskey had taken cocaine on the night of the vicious attack, the court heard, and was noticed to be drunker than others by the victim.

Speaking after the incident, Miss Nield told the Echo: “She bit me and took a big chunk out of my face. There was blood everywhere.”

One witness, Jason Marshall, described the pair rolling on the floor fighting, both ending up on top of each other in turn.

Prosecutor Paul Treble said: “He then indicates that at that point the defendant bit Ms Neild, when they were lying on the floor, side by side.

“She bit the victim’s cheek and lip. There was blood everywhere.

“He says that Ms Neild screamed and it seemed the defendant bit a piece of Ms Neild off spitting her tissue onto the floor."

Doctors at Whiston Hospital spent an hour performing a skin graft on Miss Nield and needed tissue from her upper right arm to repair the wound.

McCluskey, 29, initially pleaded not guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

She later admitted the lesser charge of wounding and was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court .

(Image: MEN)

Mr Treble said the piece of flesh bitten off was taken to hospital with the victim but could not be used in treating her wound.

Mr Treble added there was a lot of blood and as she screamed Mr Marshall acted.

He said: “It seems Mr Marshall intervened. He had to hold the defendant down. In his words ‘she was going wild’.”

She was given a recovery time of nine months and told there would be permanent scarring.

She has had pain under the skin since and been prescribed cream and medication.

Judge Flewitt said: “She will be left with a permanent reminder of this incident.”