A MAN has been left scarred for life after a stranger tried to bite his ear off in a pub toilet.

Craig Homer, 26, launched the unprovoked attack on his victim within the Waterline bar in Greenock's Cathcart Street.

Cartilage had to be removed from the ear and 13 stitches were inserted by medics to close the wounds, caused as Homer, right, tried to tear the ear off with his teeth.

The thug, who has a number of previous convictions for crimes of violence, was jailed for 18 months after admitting the horrific assault at Greenock Sheriff Court last week.

Depute fiscal John Q Miller explained how the two men had become embroiled in an argument over waste that had been left in one of the gents' urinals.

The court was told Homer was inside a cubicle when the complainer entered the loos and made a comment about the smell within the toilets.

The fiscal added: "A difficulty arose because someone had previously defacated in the urinal.

"The complainer, who was not known to the accused, said something about the odour within the toilet and words began to be exchanged backwards and forwards.

"The accused then left the cubicle he was in, approached the man and bit him on the ear." The victim ran from the toilet with blood pouring down his face, with emergency services immediately called by staff.

He was taken by ambulance to Inverclyde Royal Hospital where stitches were inserted to the bites and cartilage removed by medics.

The fiscal added: "Doctors have said the man will be left permanently disfigured as a result of the attack." Homer, of Luss Avenue in Greenock, admitted biting the complainer on the ear to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement on 25 February.

Solicitor Derek Buchanan said his client had been drinking prior to the assault.

He added: "He had taken issue after believing the complainer was suggesting he was responsible for the mess left in the other urinal.

"Mr Homer took great offence at this, as he was not responsible, although accepts that his actions were completely unacceptable." The court heard Homer has two previous convictions for assault to severe injury - including one attack where he damaged a man's liver after plunging a fencepost into his stomach.

Sheriff Rajni Swanney sentenced the accused to 18 months behind bars, backdated to March when he was first remanded in custody.