‘Monster’ sunk his teeth into woman’s face in back of cab

Abuser, 23, back behind bars after attack

An abuser who beat his partner unconscious with a marble chopping board is back behind bars - after sinking his teeth into his new girlfriend’s face.

Sol Philpott struck up a romance with Olivia Whitton while locked up for subjecting another woman to a sustained attack.

After being released from custody, the 23-year-old repeatedly bit Miss Whitton and elbowed her unconscious during his birthday celebrations in Margate, September 2020.

Philpott, of Stonebridge Road, Canterbury, was jailed for 20 months at the city’s crown court today for the “prolonged assault”, during which he “used his teeth as a weapon”.

On the evening of the attack Philpott wanted to fight another man, prompting Miss Whitton to get in a taxi.

Once she was inside the car Philpott followed, and while travelling through the town he bit her face and said “you better not make a noise”, prosecutor Mark Mullins explained.

He pinched her thighs, causing bruising, before the taxi driver became aware of the disturbance and ordered the pair out of the vehicle.

Philpott would bite her face again while on the street, grab hold of her head and deliver a blow to her face with his elbow, knocking her unconscious.

“She felt like his elbow went through her face,” Mr Mullins said.

“The defendant then apologised, saying he was a monster and couldn’t go back to prison.”

While being treated at the QEQM hospital, Miss Whitton told medics she injured herself by falling over.

But one eagle-eyed nurse noticed bruising patterns over her body which contradicted her account.

“The nurse noted the colours of her bruising ranged from yellow to green to purple,” Mr Mullins said, which indicated the abuse took place over a “pro

tracted period of time”.

He dubbed the assault “a prolonged and persistent assault using teeth as a weapon” which left Miss Whitton with a black eye, bruising over her arms and legs and a suspected broken thumb.

Judge Catherine Brown told Philpott his previous conviction for domestic abuse was a “particular concern”.

“It was not the single use of unlawful force, it was a prolonged event which is supported by the colour of the bruising,” she said.

“A particular concern is the last conviction, which is an assault committed on a previous partner. The assault was committed under the influence of alcohol, and that is seen as a common factor in your offending.”

In July 2019, Philpott was handed 16 months in a Young Offenders Institute after pleading guilty to causing actual bodily harm against a former

partner.

The same court heard in October 2018 he struck her repeatedly across her face and body inside a home in Margate.

And during the attack Philpott threw a marble chopping board at her, knocking her unconscious.

But Philpott, who has nine convictions for 17 offences, is working to change his ways, Phil Rowley, mitigating, said on Friday.

“He is showing some insight and understanding of a need to change his behaviour - he is open to change and wanting to better himself,” he explained.

“When he offends he is always drunk.”

Philpott pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm and damaging property, which related to a separate matter.

Additional charges of engaging in coercive behaviour within a relationship and three other criminal damage counts will lie on file.

Sol Philpott is back behind bars