A woman bit an innocent shopper on the nose in the supermarket after the victim challenged her for being racist.
Lorna Grindrod, 52, left her victim with scars on her face, and potentially needing plastic surgery, after the vicious attack.
She was in the queue at Asda in Hulme when she randomly accused the cashier of sleeping with her husband, despite the pair not knowing each other and Grindrod not even being married, a court heard.
She then told the lady behind the till "n***** get out of this country" which David Lees prosecuting said "was an also odd comment, given her own ethnicity, being born in Ghana."
She was challenged by a woman behind her in the queue who told her the comment was racist and offensive and an altercation began between the pair.
Grindrod told her "why are you getting involved, why are you trying to be a hero?" Mr Lees told Manchester Crown Court.
A physical altercation began between the pair which saw the victim have her head banged against the counter.
The pair then fell on the floor and Grindrod put her fingers in her mouth, causing the woman to bite them in retaliation, something which "enraged" Grindrod, Mr Lees added.
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When police arrived she had a kitchen knife in her bag, though at no point during the struggle did she get it out, or even threaten to, the court was told.
She told her victim "you've got a pretty face let's see how pretty you are without a nose" before clamping her teeth around it.
Thankfully she did not bite a portion off but she did break the skin on both sides.
She has been left with visible scars and could require plastic surgery the court heard.
Grindrod carried on threatening her victim, saying she would "rip her hair out" as staff and other customers pulled them apart and alerted police.
Officers arrived and arrested her at around 5:15pm on May 22 last year.
Whilst searching her they found a kitchen knife in her handbag, though at no point did she produce it, or even threaten to, the court was told.
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She claimed to police she had put it her bag to cut herbs but had forgotten to take it out.
Grindrod, of Hornchurch Court, Bonsall Street, Hulme pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and possession of a blade at an earlier hearing.
She has a long-standing mental health problem which is exacerbated by the abuse of alcohol Anthony Longworth, defending said.
He said she hadn't had access to medication for her condition, which wasn't specified in court, so the court was told she instead "self-medicated" with alcohol with "disastrous" consequences.
Judge Elizabeth Nicholls said the fact the offence was "undoubtedly committed because of her mental illness" meant she was able to suspend her prison term, so she could receive treatment and be monitored in the community.
She was sentenced to a 14 month jail term, suspended for two years and must complete a mental health treatment programme and 10 days rehabilitation activity requirement.
Judge Nicholls told her: "It is plain you have a long-standing mental illness which is exacerbated by the use and abuse of alcohol.
"On 22nd May there had been a period of where you had been unable to access your medication.
"You were particularly anxious and turned to self-medicating with alcohol which had a disastrous effect on your behaviour.
"In the queue you started talking to those around you, or you may have been talking to yourself.
"What were you saying was offensive and your victim rightly and courageously challenged you.
"You now accept wholeheartedly she was right to do that.
"But because of your anxious state combined with the effects of the alcohol you reacted in the way you did.
"There was an altercation which resulted in her banging her head and you bit her, leaving teeth marks on her nose."
She added that though her explanation for carrying the knife was "unusual at first blush" the court could accept it as she never produced the knife. However she said it is "an explanation not a defence or an excuse.
"Because these offences were undoubtedly committed because of your mental illness I can see that it is appropriate that the sentence be suspended."
