A father-of-three is facing jail after biting off the ear of a manager of a boys' football team after a touchline fracas.

Peter Tucker, 49, bit the chunk out of Simon Kay's ear after Hove Park Colts beat Fishersgate Flyers 6-2.

At Hove Crown Court yesterday he was unanimously found guilty by a jury of wounding Mr Kay with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Recorder Ian Wilson warned him a jail sentence was "probable".

As he left court yesterday Tucker said: "I am shocked."

Tucker, a holistic therapist, was cleared of assaulting another Colts supporter, Peter Hardy, by kneeing him in the groin.

The defendant, who walks with crutches, attacked Mr Kay after the game in November 2000 in Middle Road, Shoreham.

Both men fell to the ground, with Mr Kay turning his head to protect his glasses.

As others tried to pull Tucker off Mr Kay, the defendant bit his ear, ripping the lower section off.

As Tucker left the scene, with his front teeth broken, one of the boys shouted: "He's bitten off his ear".

Mr Kay, who has since given up managing Hove Park Colts, has undergone plastic surgery to repair his ear using skin grafts from his chest.

Detective Constable Mick Burkenshaw said he was pleased with the verdict.

He said: "The incident has had quite an effect on Mr Kay, who has already had two operations to restore his ear and may have to undergo a third.

"He has given up managing Hove Park Colts as a result of what happened to him and said the impetus has gone out of his life."

Tucker, of Fairway Crescent, Portslade, said he had not realised he had the ear in his mouth when he spoke to the manager of the Flyers, Trevor Leeney, after the attack.

The court heard Mr Leeney was splattered with blood as Tucker spat it out and tried to apologise for what had happened.

Tucker said he had been called "the village idiot" by Colts supporters during the game.

The court heard that, after the attack on Mr Kay, Tucker fled the ground with blood smeared around his mouth.

He was chased to a shop 900yds away by angry Colts supporters.

Yesterday pictures were displayed showing a large bruise at the top of Tucker's right leg.

The defendant claimed he was kneed in the groin by Mr Hardy, who alleged Tucker had in fact kicked him.

The court heard Tucker was convicted of assaulting two police officers in 1981 and of robbery in 1977, for which he was jailed for 18 months.

Wounding with intent carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Tucker was bailed to return to the court for sentencing on April 12.