Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
No jail time for man who bit off student’s finger
Victim hits out at ‘unacceptable’ sentence
A student who had part of his finger bitten off in an unprovoked assault has branded his attacker’s sentence “unacceptable.”
Traumatised Michael Connell, who studies at Canterbury Christ Church University, lost the top of his middle finger after surgeons were unable to perform a transplant.
But the man responsible 60-year-old Steve Hubbard - has escaped with a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to unlawful wounding.
The violence erupted after Hubbard accused Mr Connell, 22, of disrespecting his daughter Megan at The Milk House in Sissinghurst, where she is a manager.
Businessman Hubbard loomed over and grabbed hold of Mr Connell as he sat with friends.
During a struggle, Mr Connell’s finger became lodged between Hubbard’s teeth.
As both men were pulled away the body part became detached, showing the finger bone, prosecutors said.
The engineering student was forced to desperately search the bar floor for around a minute for his fingertip, CCTV showed.
Mr Connell stood in court just metres from his attacker to describe the “agony and anguish” he suffered following the events on the evening of November 30, 2018.
He told how the attack destroyed his dream of becoming an electrician.
“I had just arrived and I became the victim of an unprovoked attack - I will remember this day forever,” he continued.
“I will never forget the fear and pain of that night and for the months, the years that followed.
“It took me well over a year to get over my trauma. I do not feel safe in the town where I was brought up.
“I’m a kind, generous, hard-working person who has never been in a fight or trouble with the police.”
Speaking moments after the hearing, he added: “For me to have to have gone through an amputation and for him to not have to go to prison - I don’t think that’s very acceptable.”
Despite Mr Connell finding the missing part of his finger, surgeons were unable to reconnect it.
“The defendant had been drinking in the pub, Mr Connell
ordered some drinks and sat down in the bar area,” prosecutor Chris Evans explained.
“He was approached by the defendant, who leaned over him and said ‘you were rude to my daughter’.”
When Mr Connell said “I don’t know your daughter”, Hubbard grabbed hold of him, triggering a struggle.
“He was released a few seconds later and noticed his right middle finger had been severed over the knuckle,” Mr Evans said.
“Unfortunately his finger could not be reconnected.”
Following his arrest, Hubbard denied biting and said he acted in self-defence.
He also claimed Mr Connell’s injuries were caused by broken glass, arguing that the six pints of Guinness and one vodka and coke he had drunk had not affected his behaviour.
In mitigation, Hubbard’s lawyer, Richard Barraclough QC, said the bite was “reckless” and “not pre-meditated”.
He added Hubbard runs a specialist lighting company which would fold if he was jailed.
References handed to the court described Hubbard as a “hard-working family man” and a “big softie”.
Judge Jeremy Donne QC ordered Hubbard to pay Mr Connell £15,000 compensation.
“You have heard this morning Mr Connell describe in very clear terms the impact the events of that night had upon him,” he said.
“Fortunately, the results of the injury have not been as catastrophic as they might otherwise have been.”
Hubbard was handed an eightmonth jail sentence suspended for 18 months, and must complete 120 hours of unpaid work.
‘I will never forget the fear and pain of that night and for the months, the years that followed’