A STUDENT who bit his girlfriend on the cheek scarring her for life has been jailed for five years.

Scottish-born Mark Reid, 23, formerly of Redgrave Close, off Huntington Road, York, was described as "vicious" and "wicked" by Judge James Spencer after a jury found him guilty of malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Investigating officer DC Ian Murray, who has since retired from York CID, said it was one of the worst assaults he had dealt with in his 30-year career.

The jury at York Crown Court heard Reid, who hoped to be a PE teacher, was in Toffs nightclub on February 22 last year. He leant in to supposedly embrace his girlfriend, York St John Univesity student Helen Clayworth, but then bit her face.

Miss Clayworth said: "I felt teeth sink into my cheek, I felt part of my cheek come away. I could feel blood flowing. He kept his teeth on my cheek all that time."

Later she added: "My face was hanging off. I thought I have got to tell the truth, I can't hide this one. I can't cover this up with make-up."

The court was told the attack was the last in a long line of violent incidents.

Miss Clayworth said she had endured the constant violence because she wanted to help him.

"I didn't even want him to go to prison because I thought I loved him. I was that controlled by him."

But during his trial Reid claimed that Miss Clayworth was so violent towards him he had to restrain her on about five occasions and that they would argue frequently for no good reason.

He denied ever biting her, head-butting her, banging her head on furniture during an Egyptian holiday or hitting her during their relationship.

But the jury dismissed Reid's claims of innocence and returned a guilty verdict.

Sentencing Reid Judge Spencer said: "You developed a controlling attitude towards her which often resulted in you being violent when you could not get your own way."

He added: "You bit her on her cheek so forever afterwards what you did would be visible.

"Your bite was vicious, you bit through the thickness of her skin and left her face cruelly damaged.

"Your actions were wicked, wicked in the extreme and they were cynical and deliberate and you have left her scarred for life."

Speaking after the verdict, Miss Clayworth said: "I've been waiting for this for so long it's just a relief.

"I was petrified he was going to get away with it."