An electronics engineer bit off part of another man's ear and spat it on to a pub floor.

Brian Southall, 48, of Langless, Falkirk, chewed off a chunk of Andrew Oliver's right ear, exposing the cartilage.

Stirling Sheriff Court heard it had been "an inappropriate reaction" to 49-year-old Mr Oliver putting his arms round Southall's girlfriend while they were dancing.

The incident happened in the Railway Tavern in Falkirk on November 6, 2015, after both men had been drinking.

Laura Knox, prosecuting, said Southall initially said nothing when Mr Oliver, who was a regular in the bar, danced with his partner and then sat back down but later went to speak to him.

Ms Knox said: "The accused stood up, walked over to Mr Oliver and appeared to be whispering to him."

The depute fiscal said Mr Oliver, who had consumed up to ten pints of lager, was too drunk to remember what Southall said but the pair started arguing.

Ms Knox said: "The accused then leaned into Mr Oliver and bit off the fleshy part of his ear, which he spat on to the floor."

Police were called and Southall left, while Mr Oliver was seen by paramedics.

He refused to go to hospital, however, and went home while police retrieved the missing part of his ear from a pool of blood on the floor.

When he attended hospital later, after waking in pain, it could not be reattached but he was given antibiotics and a Hepatitis B vaccination.

Southall, who fled the area, was identified from CCTV. He pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Oliver to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

Gordon Addision, defending, said Southall was "contrite".

He continued: "There's no doubt that this man's reaction to Mr Oliver's behaviour towards him and his partner was out of kilter.

"He realises the way he reacted was grossly inappropriate."

The defence agent added the pub was a "tough old place".

The court heard Southall had a record of violence.

Imposing a jail term of 18 months, sheriff Wyllie Robertson said: "This sort of offence - biting a man's ear off - is such that the only a custodial sentence is appropriate."