A prisoner who bit off part of the ear of another inmate during a fight after a volleyball game at Canberra's jail has been sentenced to a year and a half behind bars.

Benjamin John Wickes, 33, pleaded guilty to assault causing grievous bodily harm and actual bodily harm after he also tried to choke the victim.

The court heard the pair had been on opposite teams during the game.

The fight began after an exchange when Wickes went to the other side of the net, and the pair squared up against each other.

Wickes tackled the victim until they were both on the ground, when he bit down on the man's ear in what Justice Verity McWilliam said gave rise to the charge of causing grievous bodily harm.

"The offender bit down on (the victim's) ear with sufficient force to bite off a chunk of it."

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