Martin Roskilly, from Haverhill, jailed for biting off man’s finger in drunken attack at The Crown Inn, Linton

A man who bit a pub worker’s finger off in a ‘horrific attack’ after being asked to leave an inn has been jailed.

Martin Roskilly, 48, became verbally aggressive in The Crown Inn pub, in Linton, at about 10.30pm on November 11, 2022.

He was asked to leave but refused and a pub worker, who was not on shift at the time, intervened to try to help.

Roskilly pushed the pub worker and dragged him outside. Both men hit their heads on the ground during a scuffle and then Roskilly bit the man’s right middle finger off.

Paramedics informed police, and officers arrested Roskilly at just before midnight.

The pub worker made his own way to hospital, but doctors could not save his finger.

In police interview, Roskilly, of Castle Lane, Haverhill, told officers he had a drink problem but claimed he didn’t remember the incident and was visibly shocked by his behaviour.

He admitted drinking more than seven pints of alcohol and visited Linton, many miles away from his usual pubs, as he ‘fancied a drink and a change of atmosphere’, despite having no links to the village.

Roskilly denied assault causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent but on April 30, the day his trial was due to begin at Cambridge Crown Court, admitted the lesser offence of assault causing GBH, without intent.

He was sentenced at the same court on Thursday, June 5 where he was handed two years and eight months in prison.

Alongside this he was handed an indefinite restraining order, preventing him from contacting the victim or ever visiting the pub where the attack took place.

DC Lauren Skinner, who investigated, said: “This was an horrific attack by Roskilly, with the true impact of his actions highlighted in the pub worker’s victim impact statement seen by the court.

“He said the terrible and traumatic experience impacts him daily – and having always been friendly and outgoing with all types of people, he is now wary of strangers and constantly on his guard.

“The pub worker said his practical skills, gained over his entire working lifetime, had been affected and he has been ‘rendered useless’ in his usual job due to this loss of his finger.

“He also explained how he now suffered from repeated PTSD and has no dexterity, leaving him unable to do everyday tasks.

“He urged the judge to send Roskilly to jail, stating that it was ‘important he is not at liberty to wreak such violent havoc again’.

“Of particular note is how the victim explains that he is dismayed and devastated at the thought of the loss of reputation of the pub, which he describes as ‘pillars of the local community’, regularly involved in charity events, sponsors of the local football team and a venue for weddings, funerals and family celebrations.”