The jury in the trial of a Suffolk man accused of biting off the tip of his sister’s nose is expected to retire to consider its verdicts tomorrow.

Before Ipswich Crown Court is 68-year-old William Price, of Broadgrass Green, Elmswell, who has denied wounding Star Price with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm.

Giving evidence during his trial Price claimed he "nipped" her on the nose to stop her chewing his thumb to the bone.

Price claimed he was attacked by two sisters outside his home following a financial dispute last July.

The court heard that following the incident Price needed treatment for a bite wound to his thumb and a cut to the head, while his sister required reconstructive surgery.

When interviewed, Price told police his sisters had been turned away from the address by his wife at his request after they turned up while he was in bed recovering from gallbladder surgery.

He said they returned about 20 minutes later, each carrying a golf club, which he claimed they used to beat him around the head, hands, back and chest.

After wrestling one of his sisters to the ground, Price claimed she tried to "chew his thumb off" in an effort to seize back the club, and that he responded by "nipping" her nose until she pulled away, after first attempting to release her grip by slapping her round the face.

Timothy Kiely, prosecuting, alleged that Price threw a large brick towards his sisters as they stood behind a gate.

He is then alleged to have picked up half the broken brick and thrown it, knocking one of his sisters to the ground before attacking her.

Price called the allegation an "invention", and when asked why he had chosen not to report being assaulted to the police, replied: "We're Romani people. If we have a bit of bother between us, we don't get the police involved."

Barristers in the case made their closing speeches to the jury today and the jury is expected to retire to consider its verdict on Friday.