A lederhosen-clad international businessman bit a former World’s Strongest Man finalist’s ear off at a posh Oktoberfest event.
Emanuele Ferrero de Gubernatis Ventimiglia chomped into Jamie Barr’s left ear during a struggle at the St Andrews University Charity Oktoberfest bash last March.
Mr Barr a former poster boy for Visit Scotland had been working at the event.
However, despite admitting biting off Mr Barr’s ear, Ventimiglia was found not guilty after a trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
A jury decided Ventimiglia who is originally from Turin but now lives in London had acted in self-defence during the incident and found the charge not proven.
The court heard Mr Barr had tried to prevent Ventimiglia, who was wearing traditional German lederhosen, getting into a taxi with his girlfriend after the couple had rowed and she asked for him to be taken away.
The strongman was left needing a series of operations, including one which saw pieces of rib grafted to the side of his head to allow it to develop a new blood supply before having the ear reconstructed.
Ventimiglia, 24, pleaded not guilty on indictment to a charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement and lodged a special defence of self defence.
A jury took just an hour to find the charge against him not proven by a majority.
Ventimiglia nodded at the jurors as Sheriff Alistair Thornton told him he had been acquitted and released him from the dock.
The Courier contacted Jamie Barr following the conclusion of the trial but he stated he did not want to comment on the outcome of the case.
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