Bath Student Avoids Jail After Ear-Biting Attack Leaves Victim Disfigured

James Boskey, a 21-year-old university student, has been spared prison after admitting to biting a man’s ear during end-of-year celebrations at Bath Racecourse last summer.

The incident occurred around 8 p.m. on Friday, May 31, 2024, when the victim, a member of the armed forces, approached two men engaged in a heated argument and asked, “How much money do you guys make?” The court heard that Boskey then attacked the victim, biting his ear before security intervened to separate the two.

The victim was rushed to A&E, where he spent 10 hours receiving treatment. A consultant later informed him that the injury might cause permanent disfigurement. In an impact statement, the victim revealed the emotional toll, saying, “When I spoke to the consultant she advised that I would have a permanent disfigurement. This was hard to hear. I have tried my hardest not to let it affect me. I only realised six months on that it has affected me. I feel very wary of people and I’m now very conscious of my surroundings.”

At Bath Magistrates’ Court, Boskey’s lawyer highlighted his clean criminal record and expressed regret over the incident. “The defendant understands the serious position he is in. However, I invite the court to consider that his actions that night were wholly out of character,” said the defense. Boskey, who was completing his second year of a pharmacology degree at the time, resides on Sherringham Drive in Swansea.

Despite the seriousness of the offence, the court decided against imprisonment but delivered a firm warning. “We have discussed your case at length and we will put your mind at rest: we are not going to send you to prison today, but we came pretty close,” the judge said.

Boskey was handed a community order requiring 240 hours of unpaid work. Additionally, he must pay £1,000 in compensation to the victim, along with court costs of £85 and a £115 victim surcharge.