Paul Rowe has been jailed for five years after biting off Sam Mulhall's finger in a brawl near Kelly's nightclub in Southampton

Paul Rowe, 28, pictured below, is today behind bars after being jailed for five years for the vicious assault that left a man needing surgery.

A pal of Rowe’s had sparked the huge brawl after the group of friends had been thrown out of Kelly’s night club, Southampton Crown Court was told.

Stephen Jack punched Shane Brown, who ran off with Rowe chasing.

The court heard how Rowe caught up with Mr Brown, pulled his coat over his head and punched him.

Sam Mulhall rushed to Mr Brown’s aid and grabbed Rowe in a headlock.

Struggling to break free Rowe clamped his teeth on to Mr Mulhall’s left hand so tightly he bit off the top of his little finger.

Jurors were able to watch a video of the unfolding violence, which was caught on CCTV cameras.Sam Mulhall

It shows how London Road descended into a battlefield with up to 20 people joining in the fighting, leaving security staff helpless to stop the violence escalating.

The fighting ends with Rowe and Mr Jack trying to escape down an alleyway but being caught by police.

Mr Mulhall can be seen walking towards an ambulance parked nearby. He later needed an operation to repair his injured finger.

Rowe, of Aldermoor Road, Outer Circle, and the father of a two-year-old boy, was convicted of wounding with intent and assault by beating.

He also admitting ripping up a police code of practice book given to him while he was being held in a cell.

Passing sentence Judge Peter Henry said he had been involved in disgusting and inappropriate drunken behaviour.

“You and your friends took on entirely innocent people walking along the pavement. You, having been ejected from a night club, joined in and punched Mr Brown.”

The judge said Rowe then chased Mr Mulhall, who had been trying to calm things down, between cars and were seen to bite him.

“This was 30 seconds of extreme violence and which caused an unpleasant injury, which required an operation and he has lost out financially. You used your teeth as a weapon.”

In mitigation Thomas Horder said the events reflected badly on Rowe.

“The defendant wasn’t the instigator of the trouble but got himself involved. His behaviour was very much out of character. He is a hard working man.

“He accepts a custodial sentence is inevitable and being away from his son will be a considerable punishment.”