A MOTHER-of-one and care worker who bit off the finger of a 59-year-old who questioned her parenting in a crowded pub has been jailed for four years.

Tiler Michael Foy had remonstrated with Laura Hardman over her rowdy behaviour, with an 18-month-old child in tow, at a Salford pub, Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court was told.

And as the confrontation escalated she hurled abuse at Mr Foy and demanded, if he had concerns, to call in social services, the court heard.

Prosecutor Charlotte Crangle said Hardman, 26, was eventually asked to leave Cyns Tavern, in Little Hulton, by landlady Gillian Charnock.

But the young mother returned to the bar a short time later and resumed her row with Mr Foy, the court heard.

CCTV footage from the pub was played in court, showing the final stages of the stand-off, with Mr Foy pointing his finger at Hardman.

He later told police he was concerned as the woman was holding a pint of beer and he feared she might use this as a weapon.

Miss Crangle said without warning Hardman bit off the end of Mr Foy’s left forefinger, down to the first knuckle.

The victim, who staggered back and was tended to by friends, was initially unaware of the extent of his injury. The tip of his finger was salvaged and packed in ice.

Hardman was escorted out of the pub by the landlady, still arguing and behaving aggressively. Before she left she slapped Ms Charnock across the face, said Miss Crangle.

The prosecutor told the court that Mr Foy was taken to hospital for treatment but doctors were unable to reattach his finger.

The court was told that because of the extent of the bite, he eventually had to have the second knuckle amputated.

Miss Crangle added: “There is still the possibility of further surgery and he had to be treated for potential blood-borne infections”.

Mr Foy had also been forced to take several weeks off work and estimated his losses, as a tiler, at around £8,000.

Hardman, of Sandringham Drive, Leigh, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Foy and assaulting Ms Charnock at an earlier hearing.

Neil Ronan, defending, said social services had no concerns about the capabilities of his client, who had no previous convictions and was employed as a care worker for people with special needs.

He told the court Hardman was suffering from anxiety after a neighbour and friend had been murdered and was remorseful over the incident.

But jailing her, Judge David Stockdale QC said: “This has must have been an incredible force to achieve this injury.”