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A FURIOUS husband smashed his way into a Droitwich Spa hotel to beat up the love rival who had bedded his wife.

Kirk Harris bit off part of engineer John Martin's right ear, hurled him into a bath and threatened to "gut" him.

Earlier that same night, the victim and Harris' wife Amy, a logistics analyst, had left a company party and secretly booked into the Travelodge for sex, Worcester Crown Court heard.

The pair had become "flirtatious" at Koito, the Japanese firm they both worked for in Droitwich, said Sir Andrew Watson, prosecuting.

Mrs Harris, suffering from post-natal depression, seldom saw her husband, who was employed at the same firm on a night shift.

Harris discovered the fling when he saw a picture of his wife's knickers on her mobile phone and quizzed her about the recipient.

The 27-year-old, of Drovers Place, Droitwich Spa, pleaded guilty to wounding, making threats to kill and criminal damage.

Jailing him for two and a half years, Judge David McEvoy QC said he had "the greatest sympathy" for a husband who found out that his wife had committed adultery.

"But you took the law into your own hands and wanted revenge," he said. "You administered a serious beating."

Mrs Harris arrived home around midnight on October 5 last year after leaving her lover at the Travelodge - and fell asleep on the sofa.

Her husband got in at 2.20am, but she refused his request for sex, said Sir Andrew.

She went to bed, but was woken up an hour later by her husband who was demanding information about the knickers picture.

In a fit of rage, Harris punched the lounge door and ripped the phone from its socket.

Then armed with a knife he made his way to the Travelodge, getting inside at 4.15am by pretending to be a guest.

He lied to the receptionist that he had to see Mr Martin because his mother was gravely ill, said Sir Andrew.

Harris charged at his love rival's bedroom door, but unable to break it down went outside and smashed his way in through a window.

Yelling "you've had your hands on my missus", he chased Mr Martin into a bathroom, where the victim locked the door.

But Harris broke it off its hinges and rained punches and kicks to his rival's head and body.

As the victim cowered on the floor, he knelt down and sunk his teeth into an ear.

At one stage, Harris spoke to his wife by phone, turned up the mobile's volume and ordered her to listen to the gruesome sound of punches.

Harris, who had drunk most of a bottle of vodka, left through the broken window, but was arrested nearby by police. The knife was found outside.

Mr Martin needed five stitches in his ear wound and suffered a gash under an eye and extensive cuts.

Martin Steen, defending, said: "He was distraught that night beyond measure. He found himself in the ultimate nightmare.

"It was a most unpleasant experience for the victim who was in his boxer shorts throughout the ordeal."

Mr Steen said the father-of-one had shown genuine remorse and had sought help for alcohol and temper problems.

His marriage was now over.

3:48pm Thursday 20th March 2008

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