Man bit friend in face

6:58am Thursday 17th July 2008

MORETON man Dean Davenport has been convicted of assaulting long-time friend Roger Cross.

The guilty verdict at Gloucester Crown Court followed a two-day trial which concluded yesterday.

The 28-year-old, of Stow Road, was sentenced to a community order consisting of 120 hours of unpaid work and two years' supervision.

He was also ordered to pay £150 towards costs.

The court heard how Davenport had hit Mr Cross over the head and bit him on the cheek, leaving a 2cm mark.

He denied causing actual bodily harm to Mr Cross and claimed he was acting in self defence.

The assault happened after Mr Cross had come to Davenport's home and spoke to his recovering drug addict girlfriend about drugs, prosecutor David Chidgey said.

Knowing Mr Cross had used drugs, Davenport asked him not to.

On September 4, the trial heard, Mr Cross was driving out of Blockley towards Moreton when he noticed Davenport behind him trying to attract his attention in another car.

Mr Cross pulled over and when he got out he picked up a piece of wood, said the prosecutor.

Davenport came and asked him why he was "carrying on with his girlfriend", said Mr Chidgey.

In Moreton, Mr Cross went to the Co-op and, as he was at the till, he could hear the defendant outside, shouting to him.

A scuffle then took place between the pair and Mr Cross felt a stabbing pain on his head and pain in his left cheek as Mr Davenport bit him, the jury heard.

When interviewed by the police, Davenport said he saw Mr Cross by Co-op and that he had pulled out a piece of wood and said: "Come on! Come on".

He said Mr Cross had hit him with the wood and said he had bit him to stop him hitting him.

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