A WOMAN who left her partner permanently disfigured after biting his ear lobe off in a drunken row has been spared jail.

A court heard that Sharnie Hutton had previously bitten her partner during the relationship, that was described as 'volatile.'

For the shocking episode of domestic violence in Grove she was handed a suspended jail term which a sentencing judge said was 'not a let off.'

READ ALSO: £3m cash for new schemes to get more people cycling and on buses in Oxfordshire.

The 32-year-old of Howfinch Road, Kidderminster, had admitted one count of inflicting grievous bodily harm and another of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

She was sentenced for those crimes at Oxford Crown Court today.

Outlining the case prosecutor Ian Hope said the violent episode took place on April 7 last year at an address in Grove.

Police were initially called after Hutton and her partner began arguing outside a Sainsbury's in the village.

After speaking with them it was claimed that they had been rowing after Hutton was seen 'flirting' with other men that night.

They were both drunk and Hutton's partner, the eventual victim, was advised to stay elsewhere and she was escorted home.

Later, responding to a call, police went to the woman's house where she said she had 'bitten [the victim] on the cheek' in 'self defence.'

The man then arrived at the address and the police left before going on to receive another call some two hours later.

READ ALSO: Vandal throws metal pole at Girl Guide double decker from Blackbird Leys bridge.

This time it was said that Hutton had bitten her victim on the ear.

Prosecutors said that the man needed surgery to reattach tissue to his left ear lobe and that the victim had been left 'permanently disfigured.'

The court went on to hear that Hutton has no other previous convictions but during the five-year relationship with her victim there had been previous incidents where she had bitten him.

In mitigation Jon Swain, defending, said his client was 'ashamed and sorry' for what she had done.

He called her relationship with her victim 'unhealthy' and said it had since ended.

Speaking of the incident he said that the man had tried to take the woman's telephone and she had 'reacted in completely the wrong way.'

Sentencing, Judge Maria Lamb ordered a 22-month jail term, suspended for two years.

She said: "This isn't a let off, this hangs over you and it marks the seriousness of what you did with a prison sentence."

Hutton must also complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and pay £500 compensation and a victim surcharge.

She must also obey a restraining order for five years.