A mother of seven children has fronted court for biting a woman's ear off during an altercation at a Delacombe house.
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Martha Yiech was seven months' pregnant with her seventh child when the fight occurred at 6pm on November 19, 2019.
Crown prosecutor Michelle Zammit told the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Wednesday Yiech, the victim and the witnesses were Sudanese and had poor English.
She said Yiech and the victim were at another Sudanese woman's Delacombe house when Yiech had a telephone conversation with a community leader from Sudan about teaching their children traditions.
One of the women refused and an altercation broke out.
"The victim then grabbed the accused and told her she didn't want to associate with the woman concerned. As the victim was pointing at the accused, she got up and slapped the victim," Ms Zammit said.
"The two women grappled with each other. The accused bit down on the accused's left ear."
Ms Zammit said the victim's ear was severed and a large portion of it was removed, which Yiech spat out.
"The other women present separated them and noticed the victim was missing a large part of her ear and the accused had blood around her mouth," she said.
One of the women took the victim to a Ballarat hospital but she was transferred to The Alfred hospital where she was admitted for two days.
Ms Zammit said the victim's injury was permanent, she suffered hearing loss and she would not go out in public unless she covered her ear up.
She said the victim attended the Ballarat Police Station at the earliest opportunity.
"Several women were with the victim, who expressed unrest within the community and the effects reaching back to Sudan," Ms Zammit said.
Yiech pleaded guilty to recklessly causing injury after the prosecution withdrew three charges, including the most serious charge.
She successfully made an unopposed application to have the charge dealt with in the Magistrates' Court instead of the County Court.
Defence barrister Adam Baker said the altercation occurred between two people and only one of those had been charged and his client's guilty plea had saved the witnesses from giving evidence.
"It's a pretty serious outcome for the victim. That has never been disputed," Mr Baker said.
Yiech is expected to be sentenced in March when the extent of the victim's injury and the victim impact statement will be available to the court.
