'Gratuitously cruel': Woman sent to prison for biting off McLaren Hotel employee's ears in attack

A Winnipeg woman has been sentenced to six years in prison for a pair of violent attacks, one of which left a hotel worker permanently disfigured.

Twenty-five-year-old Kayla Fiddler previously pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, assault causing bodily harm and two breaches of court orders in connection to the attacks.

Court heard Fiddler and a male co-accused confronted Laverne Bunn at the McLaren Hotel in the early morning hours of June 19, 2016, sparking a violent, 17-minute attack that was captured on security video. 

• Winnipeg hotel worker in violent attack left with pieces of ears bitten off

During the attack, Fiddler bit and chewed off portions of Bunn's ears, while the co-accused struck her with a baseball bat.

"This was a vicious, horrific and lengthy assault," Judge Lindy Choy said Tuesday. "It was gratuitously cruel to chew off Ms. Bunn's ears and spit the pieces out in front of her. This was done not once, but repeatedly on both of Ms. Bunn's ears. It shows a vicious attitude and a moral blameworthiness that heightens concerns for public safety."

Bunn and Fiddler were not known to each other. Court heard co-accused Donald Loupelle blamed Bunn for the alleged mistreatment of one of his family members at the hotel.

Winnipeg hotel worker in violent attack left with pieces of ears bitten off

8 years ago

Duration 1:33

A Winnipeg hotel worker says she's lucky to be alive after a violent attack last weekend during her overnight shift left her bloodied and with parts of her ears bitten off.

At the time of the attack, Fiddler was on bail for attacking a man with a knife during a drinking party.

A pre-sentence report prepared for court described Fiddler as having intellectual deficits and addiction issues and a background marked by tragedy, trauma and exploitation.

In a victim impact statement previously provided to court, Bunn said she had experienced many of the same disadvantages as her attacker, but had overcome them to earn a university degree. 

Bunn said she continues to suffer from post-concussion symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder.

"I cannot and will not forgive you," Bunn said. "You have ruined my life ... You have scarred me physically, emotionally and spiritually."

Bunn said both attackers told her they were "setting an example for everyone to see."

Loupelle remains before the court.