Beautician, 26, who bit her boyfriend’s nose off during a ‘date night from hell’ leaving him permanently disfigured is spared jail

• WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
• Bronwyn Downs sunk her teeth into Luke Berry’s face during a drunken tiff 
• Punters at the Drawing Room bar in Cheshire tended to him as he bled profusely
• For help, call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org 

A beautician who bit off her boyfriend’s nose during a ‘date from hell’ has been spared jail despite leaving him permanently disfigured.

Bronwyn Downs, 26, sunk her teeth into Luke Berry’s face during a drunken tiff after they got thrown out of a wine bar for scuffling with some of the customers on March 25 last year.

As Mr Berry recoiled in agony, Downs – who also works as an advisor in the recruitment sector and as a volunteer for Cancer Research UK – shockingly spat out the end of his nose, exposing his nostrils.

She then ran off following the ‘unwarranted attack’, leaving horrified bystanders to tend to her boyfriend as he stood bleeding profusely outside the Drawing Room bar in Bramhall, Cheshire. 

Downs admitted wounding and was sentenced to 12-months jail suspended for 16 months at Minshull Street Crown Court.

Pictured is Bronwyn and Luke in happier days. Speaking about the horror incident, prosecutor Duncan Wilcock said the pair ‘rarely argued’

Minshull Street Crown Court heard that when Mr Berry told Downs that he would find her bag, she ‘clamped down onto his nose with her teeth and pulled’

She was described as ‘happy’ and ‘lively’ but was urged to get help for her temper tantrums.

Following the horror incident, the 26-year-old was found slumped in a neighbouring street to the popular bar, having taken an overdose of prescription tablets.

Meanwhile, Mr Berry was taken to hospital to be treated for his injuries.

However, he has been left with a permanent facial disfigurement.

And despite his wounds, he refused to cooperate with police investigating the attack. Instead, he called for Downs to get support not punishment.

At the crown court in Manchester, Downs admitted wounding and was sentenced to 12-months jail suspended for 16 months.

No restraining order was issued, at Mr Berry’s own request.

Speaking about the horror incident, prosecutor Duncan Wilcock said that Downs’ boyfriend described her as a ‘happy and lively’ person, and that they ‘rarely argued’.

Mr Wilcock said: ‘The defendant met the complainant in October 2021 in Manchester City Centre. He described her as a happy, lively person. They got on well and rarely argued, and when they did it was over something small.

‘He had been on nights out with her before and there had been no issues on those occasions.’

After Downs spat out her boyfriend’s nose, she left bystanders to tend to her boyfriend as he stood bleeding profusely outside the Drawing Room bar in Bramhall, Cheshire

In recalling the incident, the prosecutor said: ‘On March 25 last year at around 2 pm, the complainant arrived at the defendant’s house in Hazel Grove, Stockport and at 3 pm they started to get ready for a date night, in which they planned to visit bars across the Bramhall area.

‘At 5pm they got a taxi to Bramhall Lane South and had a few cocktails in a number of bars in the areas, including at Piccolino.

‘Everything at first seemed fine and there was no tension between them. They then left at around 7 pm, the complainant admitted at that stage to feeling tipsy. 

‘They then went to a venue called the Drawing Room on Bramhall Lane South and sat and drank there for an hour. The defendant seemed slightly more drunk at this point.’

He continued to explain that there was a jukebox at the venue, which Downs went over to use.

Mr Berry then followed her but saw a woman had taken his seat, and so approached her to ask her to leave.

‘Soon after that, a second woman once again took his seat. He went over to talk to the second woman and the defendant said ‘what’s going on.’,’ Mr Wilcock said.

‘The groups started to become abusive towards each other and someone picked up and threw a glass. A melee broke out and door staff came over to break it up.

‘A member of the door staff put the defendant in a headlock and the complainant came over to try and get in between them and help her. It ended with him ushering her out of the venue.

‘When the pair got outside the venue the defendant told the complainant that she had left her bag inside. He said he would sort it out but as he said this he realised that the defendant had clamped down onto his nose with her teeth and pulled.

‘He recalls the defendant spitting the end of his nose, his nostrils, onto the floor. He then noticed a flood of blood on the floor. He asked for help from people around him and somebody called the ambulance and police. He was then taken to Stepping Hill Hospital where he was treated for his nose injury.’

The qualified beautician ‘feels remorse’ following the incident, as the horror incident ‘will live with her for the rest of her life’

Downs was later found by police on Bramhall Lane South, where she had ‘taken prescription pills and was drifting in and out of consciousness. She was found with 16 pills on her person. She was then taken to Wythenshawe Hospital.

‘She was later arrested and in interview said that she has blacked out and doesn’t remember anything. She said she hits people and doesn’t know anything about it. She said that her mother had something very similar.

‘The complainant refused to give a victim statement or his medical report to the police and didn’t want to support the prosecution. He felt the defendant needed help.’

The court heard he also requested that the court did not impose a restraining order between them.

In mitigation, defence counsel Mr Chudi Grant said: ‘This was not planned, it followed a verbal altercation that erupted out of very little. It was done in the heat of the moment and resulted in a horrendous outcome for her partner.

‘They were in a happy relationship with few difficulties prior to this. She is petrified of going into immediate custody. She feels remorse, shown by the fact that she tried to overdose after the incident.’

‘She is trying to focus on the future. She is very much doing what she can to get her life back on track. This will live with her for the rest of her life. She is the author of her own misfortune and she is still coming to terms with what she’s done.’

In sentencing the judge Mr Recorder Michael Blakey told Downs: ‘This was an unwarranted attack. A nasty attack. Perhaps you were drinking more than you can cope with.

‘The use of teeth is a weapon and the complainant has had to receive surgery as a result of this incident. You know that drink and drugs don’t mix, you’ve got to take your pills but do not drink in excess once you have taken them.

‘This offence is completely out of character, clearly you are remorseful and have considerable insight into what you did.’

‘You are an educated young woman that has suffered trauma at a young age and I believe there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.’

Downs will also have to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation activity days.

• For help, call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org

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