Student convicted of assault after biting lover during a rough love making session

Flintshire:  A student has been convicted of physical assault after he bit his lover during a Valentine's Day sex session.

Samuel Price, 24, met up with Elizabeth Sandlin after exchanging texts on February 14 this year at his home at New Hall Farm in Higher Kinnerton, Chester.

But after biting her on the bottom and thigh during their drunken sex, the victim felt that he had gone too far and began crying before calling the police.

Price denied a common assault charge claiming it was with consent, and he said he believed she was enjoying it.

However he was convicted of assault by beating and placed on a 12 month community order under which he must carry out 40 hours unpaid work.

Flintshire magistrates' court was told how the pair had known each other for more than a year, and had enjoyed an on-off relationship. However they had not seen each other since Price broke his leg.

Prosecutor Rhian Jackson said the pair had got on well, and that Price had never been violent towards her before.

Their relationship was rekindled earlier this year on Valentine's Day when they texted each other throughout the day.

Price was attending a wedding, while Elizabeth was out with friends in Chester.

They met up after Price invited her round to his place, and when she arrived he kissed her.

"That made her feel happy because she had missed him as well," Mrs Jackson explained.

She realised he was drunk and kept laughing for no reason and she described herself as tipsy.

Elizabeth then hugged him, and he picked her up. However because of this she hit her head on the kitchen door, but accepted that was an accident.

After they got into his bedroom, she laid down on his bed while he took a cover off his broken leg.

He then threw the cover towards her, which struck her on the nose - however she believed that was accidental too.

The the pair then began kissing on the bed and took their clothes off.

The prosecutor said the complainant consented to what occurred.

He started to bite her neck which hurt her and she told him to stop - but he continued to bite her.

"It carried on for a long time and she did not recall how many times he bit her," Mrs Jackson said.

He started to pull her hair, she believed he knew he was hurting her, and she became tearful fearing she would be injured.

The victim accepts that she could have left at any time, the court was told, but was scared that if she did he might have become angry.

Price was then accused of taking a hold of her by the neck and was choking her.

Elizabeth could not get him off her, said no and began to cough.

That is when he let her go and laughed as if it was a joke.

The court heard how she told him she now wanted to go to sleep but he continued pulling her hair and biting her.

She then went to the bathroom and cried, while he assured her that he did not mean to hurt her.

They then hugged, and he suggested that they go back to bed to go to sleep.

However he then bit her again on the leg and bottom.

To stop him she wrapped herself in the bed cover and he started to watch a film on his laptop. When he slept she called a taxi at 4.15am and left 15 minutes later.

She was upset at what had happened and was crying and reported the matter to the police.

The victim did not seek medical, however a photograph of her bruised thigh was shown to the court.

Price was arrested and interviewed, and told cops he believed that she consented to what was taking place.

He also told how the pair had a physical sexual relationship, not an emotional one. However he insisted that he never meant it to hurt her.

"He said he thought she was enjoying it, she was moaning, and also biting him," the prosecutor explained.

The defendant showed scratches and bruises he had near his belly. He agreed that he had pulled her hair and shaken her head from left to right but said he was not trying to hurt her.

She also pulled his hair, he said. He had one hand on her neck, but did not choke her, and he said he did not recall her coughing. She had not said anything to him and appeared happy, he claimed.

They hugged in the bathroom where she had been crying and they went back to bed - he agreed that he bit her on the bum saying he was trying to cheer her up. But upon being shown a photograph of the mark that was left, he said "bloody hell".

He said he did not think he had bitten her hard and had not intended to hurt her. The defendant claimed that it had been a consensual injury during a sex session but he was convicted by magistrates.

In a victim impact statement, she said that she had since had trouble sleeping. She said it had left her feeling drained, confused and upset and questioned why she had been treated as she was.

The court heard how he was someone she trusted, and the injury had left bruising which was visible and she had been off work because of stress.

The injury had even stopped her going to the gym because she was conscious of the large bruise and she had been unable to go horse riding because it was painful.

Damian Sabino, defending, said that both accepted that their relationship was based on sex. He bit her, an d pulled her hair, but she could have left at any time.

"Rough and playful sex was part of their relationship," said Mr Sabino.

He had been convicted of an assault and it may be "that on this occasion his perception was blurred and that he went too far. Both had contradictory perceptions about what went on that night.

"She says she wants him to know that he has done wrong. He certainly does. "It appears that he went too far and he is certainly paying the price," Mr Sabino said.

Alongside the conviction, Price was ordered to pay the woman £200 compensation and a total costs bill of £850.