A MUM-OF-ONE has been jailed for four-and-a-half years after she bit off her friend's ear in what a judge today called an "utterly sickening" attack.

Victoria Burgess, 27, of Melfort Road, Newport, was filmed beating her victim to the ground before sitting on top of her and biting through her ear in a drunken attack at Yummies kebab house in Newport city centre on April 6 this year.

Newport Crown today heard that Burgess, a previous employee of the South Wales Argus, had known her victim for four years and had been considered a "good and trusted friend".

But after a night out in the city centre dissolved into an argument about giving money to a homeless woman, prosecutor Bethan Evans told the court that a fight broke out in the kebab shop.

WATCH: Shocking video captures moment a mum-of-one bit through the ear of her friend in a kebab shop brawl 

"The defendant started screaming at her, something about stealing," Ms Evans told the court.

"The victim's memory is poor but she remembers a pain in her ear and blood dripping down her arms.

"Looking down she saw part of her own ear on the floor. She picked it up, then threw it back down, horrified.

"The pain was excruciating."

Reading a victim impact statement out to the court, Ms Evans went on to describe how the victim had suffered severely with depression and anxiety since the attack which had "completely changed her life."

The victim was left needing reconstructive surgery to re-attach her ear and has since been afraid to leave the house alone, the court heard.

During her police interview, Burgess originally told police she had acted in self defence, but the court heard that she pleaded guilty to wounding with intent as soon as she was shown the CCTV footage by her legal representatives.

Defending, Andrew Kendall told the court there was no mitigation possible for the offence which took place.

But Mr Kendall pointed to the defendant's relatively good character, and pointed to references from friends, former colleagues and family members, who were present in court.

Burgess broke down twice and received treatment from court staff in the dock as the Jude Daniel Williams passed down his sentence.

Judge Williams said: "The attack was so sudden, brutal and unexpected that the victim has little recollection of it.

"Witnesses described you preventing the victim from escaping your clutches.

"You sat on top of her and with chilling determination you bit into her ear.

"I've seen the CCTV footage and it is utterly sickening.

"You even kicked her after you bit her ear off."

Judge WilliamsWilli Burgess credit for an early guilty plea, her genuine remorse and for the fact that she was the primary care giver for her two-year-old daughter.

Burgess will serve at least half of her sentence before being released.