AN off-shore worker had a chunk of his ear nearly bitten off in a bar brawl after headbutting a man twice.

Yesterday Craig Metcalfe admitted he may have gone too far defending himself and was sentenced to do 180 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Furness Magistrates' Court heard how the 42-year-old, of Park Avenue, Swarthmoor, had no memory of the attack of having part of his ear ripped off.

Prosecutor John Appleby told the hearing: "The facts of the facts are that both men involved were in the Strawberry Hotel, Barrow, on December 21, last year.

"They were seen to become involved in a physical altercation about 9.20pm. The men were seen to be touching foreheads."

He added that Mr Metcalfe was seen to hold his hands out in a gesture that he didn't want to become involved in a fight with the other man.

Mr Appleby continued: "They began pushing each other and Mr Metcalfe headbutted the male twice. The other man then got on top and had the upperhand and bit his ear causing a significant injury.

"The injury can be seen on the police bodycam. It shows that Mr Metcalfe was so intoxicated when interviewed by the police he had no idea his era had been injured. The incident was also captured on the pub's CCTV.

"Mr Metcalfe had to have plastic surgery on his ear in Preston. He admitted he couldn't remember anything that happened that night.

"He said he had gone out at 2pm and been drinking lager and had had about 10 or 11 pints."

Metcalfe admitted using threatening or abuse behaviour in the Abbey Road pub.

Duty solicitor Mr Andy Gallagher defended on Mr Metcalfe's behalf.

He said: "He has very little recollection of what happened and said to police he had acted in self defence while he was unrepresented at that time.

"He accepts that he went beyond what was reasonable in self defence under the circumstances  told to him by the police.

"The other male was the aggressor but Mr Metcalfe accepts his behaviour was unacceptable. The headbutts did not result in any injury to the other man. The mitigating circumstances are that he was trying to defend himself against an unprovoked assault but went beyond what could be classed as a reasonable level of force."

He was given a 12-months community order and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £60 victim surcharge.