A STUDENT bit his girlfriend's face three times in a jealous rage, a court heard.

Pedro Moya, 23, attacked the young woman after the pair had spent the evening in a Bournemouth nightclub in Exeter Road, the assaults taking place within the club and in the car park outside.

A trial of issue at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday heard Moya, of St Peter's Road, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm after biting her cheek.

However Judge Peter Johnson accepted the prosecution account, that as well as biting her on both cheeks and her chin, Moya had subjected her to a sustained assault which included "depriving her of air until she lost consciousness", acting out of jealousy.

The court heard Moya was studying English in Bournemouth with the hope of going on to university in the UK.

"To bite someone on the face on three occasions can only mean an immediate custodial sentence," said the judge.

Moya was jailed for 12 months.