A respected ex- military policeman, who bit off part of another drinker’s ear during a violent West End barroom brawl, was acting in self-defence, a jury has ruled.
Christopher Vincent, 25, of Brook Square, Woolwich served the British army in tours to Iraq, Bosnia, Belize and Kuwait and left with an honourable discharge.
He was found not guilty at Southwark Crown Court of maliciously wounding Italian Simone Modesti, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, at O’Neill’s, Covent Garden (pictured) on June 10, last year.
The prosecution claimed Vincent, a man of good character, was the troublemaker and became aggressive during a midnight confrontation with Mr. Modesti’s group.
The Italian told the jury he put the defendant in a headlock after a punch was thrown.
“He bit my right ear when he got free,” Mr. Modesti told the court. “I felt a tear and some pain and part of my ear was on the counter. Blood was gushing from my right ear.”
Witnesses claimed they saw blood in defendant’s mouth and part of Mr. Modesti’s ear stuck between his teeth as he tried to spit it out.
Vincent told the jury he was simply acting in self-defence after violence erupted when a girl in Mr. Modesti’s group screamed abuse and pushed him.
“Fingers were poking my eyes and were in my mouth,” said the defendant. “I could not breathe and thought I was in trouble.
“I clamped my mouth on what I thought was a cuff or a sleeve.”
A captain in the Grenadiers described Vincent as a “good leader” who always remained “very calm” in stressful situations.
The defendant’s former company commander, a major, told the court Vincent “served his country with destinction.”
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