A student whose ear was bitten off by a soldier on a night out said he was “disgusted” after his attacker was spared jail.
Peter Reid, 21, was socialising in a nightclub when Scott Melvin brutally assaulted him, ripping off the back of his ear in the savage and unprovoked attack.
Melvin, a serving member of the British Army, repeatedly punched Mr Reid on the head before tearing the chunk of flesh off with his teeth.
The solider appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court today (August 19) where he was spared a prison sentence – which would have resulted in him being discharged from Her Majesty’s armed forces.
Melvin was ordered to pay his victim £3,600 compensation and to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in the community.
The 21 year old will also be under the supervision of social workers for the next two years as he prepares to move out of full time service and into the Territorial Army in order to start a college course.
Meanwhile Mr Reid, whose grandfather was a sergeant major in the army, faces years of plastic surgery to reconstruct his ear.
Speaking after the court case, Mr Reid criticised the army for not taking disciplinary action weeks ago when Melvin admitted causing him permanent disfigurement.
Mr Reid said : “I think it’s utterly disgusting that the army has continued to employ him despite the fact that he pleaded guilty last month.
“The British Army are supposed to protect people and this gentleman clearly hasn’t protected someone – he’s harmed them.
“I’m disgusted… at the British Army right now.
“I think they should dismiss him not only from his current employment but cease his contract with the Territorial Army.”
Mr Reid is still undergoing medical treatment for the horrific injury, which he claims has ruined his career prospects.
The recent graduate was on a night out at Prohibition bar in Aberdeen’s Langstane Place on December 7 last year when he was attacked.
The student had hopes of becoming a TV news anchor before he was assaulted and scarred for life.
He has been unable to work since the incident and still gets nervous when socialising.
Mr Reid said: “It’s definitely had a massive impact on my ability to go out.
“Obviously due to the fact that the attack came from behind, it puts a lot of emphasis on your shadow and looking behind you.
“Nightclubs and bars can be quite busy so if someone comes up behind me it can make me quite anxious.”
He added: “A custodial sentence wouldn’t have put my mind at ease but I definitely believe that it would have been deserved in this case.
“I’ve seen people go to jail for a lot less.”
Mr Reid faces more operations next month, during which surgeons will take bone and cartilage from other parts of his body to try to reconstruct his damaged ear.