A man who allegedly bit off another man's ear took the witness stand in his defence in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

James Jermaine Rayner, 27, of St. David's said he felt 'threatened' by victim Damon Rabain.

Rayner denies causing grievous bodily harm to Mr. Rabain in a case is being heard before Acting Magistrate Edward Bailey.

Court heard the two had crossed paths before, in September 2000, when Mr. Rabain set his dog on Rayner who received a leg injury.

Defence counsel Elizabeth Christopher questioned Rayner about the events which occurred on August 5 of last year. Rayner told the court that he had been at Club 40 in Hamilton where he noticed Mr. Rabain who was looking at him, "messing up his face".

"I turned to the bar and when I turned back he was right there," said Rayner. "That's when he jumped me. We went to the ground and wrestled around, I couldn't get him off of me."

Ms Christopher then asked Rayner what was going through his head while he was on the ground.

"On the ground I didn't know if there were any weapons. I didn't know if he had a knife or something. I felt threatened."

When asked if he intended biting Rabain's ear, Rayner said: "No."

During cross examination, Crown counsel Oonagh Vaucrosson asked him why he resorted to biting Mr. Rabain's ear, Rayner said: "That's the only thing I could do for what he was doing to me. When I bit his ear he jumped up. He had jumped up and started cursing."

Mr. Rabain is currently serving a four-year prison term for $60,000 in unpaid fines from a drug matter. Doctors were not able to save the portion of the ear which was severed.