AN ARMY driver tore the flesh from a man's face with his teeth during a 'vicious' attack at a city centre nightclub, a court heard.

Prosecutors at Oxford Crown Court said that the biting attack carried out by Keenan Samuelson, of Tyne Road, Abingdon, had left his victim permanently scarred.

Jurors were told at the start of his trial yesterday how the 27-year old has already admitted wounding during the incident at The Bridge, Hythe Bridge Street in the early hours of April 8 2017.

However, the driver with the Armed Forces based at Dalton Barracks denies a more serious charge of wounding with intent.

Outlining the case against him prosecutor Edward Culver said: "It was a vicious, unprovoked assault in a nightclub where Mr Samuelson repeatedly used his teeth as a weapon of attack.

"He accepts causing unlawful injury to [the victim], the issue in this case is the last element, 'with intent to do him grievous bodily harm'."

The court heard that the victim of the attack Nikitas Arnaoutoglou, was out at the city nightclub along with a group of friends.

Sometime after 2am, jurors were told, Samuelson approached Mr Arnaoutoglou who was dancing with friends on the RnB floor of the nightclub.

Mr Arnaoutoglou felt an elbow to his back, prosecutors claim, and was soon after confronted with an 'aggressive' Samuelson.

A witness statement from Mr Arnaoutoglou was read out to jurors in which he described what happened next.

He said: "He was very aggressive. As soon as I had turned around he poured a tall glass of drink over my head.

"I told the male to calm down as this was completely unprovoked."

Samuelson then took a 'fighting stance' with his fists raised, the court heard, and asked Mr Arnaoutoglou to fight him.

He declined, jurors were told, and Samuelson went on to squeeze his throat with his hands before biting him on the right side of his face up to three times.

Bouncers soon arrived, the court heard, and Samuelson was kicked out before he was arrested by police once the extent of his victim's injuries were discovered.

Mr Arnaoutoglou underwent surgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital and needed a skin graft.

During police interview, jurors went on to hear, Samuelson claimed to have been drunk that night and unable to remember the violence.

Under questioning he told police that while he didn't deny causing the injury he had no recollection of being at The Bridge.

Samuelson denies the charge and the trial continues.