Abuse victim’s ‘horror story’

EXCLUSIVE: Kate Byrne’s lip was bitten off in pub attack

A woman has described how her former partner bit off part of her lip on a night out.

Kate Byrne likened her relationship with David Booth to “a horror story” as he was jailed for terrorising her and another woman.

The 58-year-old grandmother was permanently scarred in the gruesome assault which happened in a busy pub.

She spoke out about the brute’s jealous and controlling behaviour after he was sentenced at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court for abusing the two women.

Ms Byrne said she froze to the spot as Booth, of Leven, bit into her lip after she finished singing karaoke.

Booth was convicted by a jury and she and his other victim were in court to see him led away to begin his latest jail sentence.

A domestic abuse survivor has described the horrific moment her former partner bit off part of her lip in a busy pub.

Kate Byrne had just finished singing karaoke when jealous David Booth lunged at her and bit into her face.

Panic rose among fellow patrons as they saw her drenched in blood.

Booth, 58, of Fife, was jailed for three years for assaulting, abducting and threatening her, and for an offence against another woman.

He had already served time for the pub attack, which left Kate permanently scarred.

Kate, 58, met Booth, previously of Station Court, Leven, in January 2014 through a dating website after the end of her marriage.

At first she was unsure of the Amazon warehouse worker, but he persuaded her to go out with him and soon moved into her home in Moodiesburn.

However, his controlling behaviour plagued their relationship from the start and he would become aggressive when she spoke to other people.

After a series of terrifying assaults, the couple split up, but on January 2, he turned up at the taxi driver’s home and insisted on accompanying her as she left for a night out with friends.

In the Storm Queen pub, when she leaned over to speak to a man sitting at her table, Booth came over and accused her of kissing him.

Later, as she finished her karaoke stint Booth grabbed her shoulders.

She said: “People would have thought he was kissing me but he launched at me and bit into my lip.

“The pain was horrendous, I was frozen to the spot.

“I didn’t know it was off then but the blood was all down my face and my blouse. The police were phoned and they found my lip on the dance floor.”

Kate was rushed to the Southern General Hospital where her lip was reconstructed but she still suffers numbness and her speech is affected.

A jury at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court found Booth guilty of assaulting Kate, detaining her against her will and behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards her.

The offences happened on Chalmers Street, Dunfermline, and in BJ’s pub in Glasgow between February 2014 and January 2015.

He was also convicted of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards the other woman at addresses in Leslie and Kirkcaldy between September and November 2016.

Non-harrassment orders were made in respect of both women.

The court heard Booth was in a new relationship and was engaged.

Kate Byrne, who had part of her lip bitten off by abuser David Booth.