Man, 25, blinded by single punch in Shropshire nightclub attack

Mathugh Spence, 23, attacked James Halliwell in Newport's Central Square nightclub, hitting him in the face.

Initially Mr Halliwell, 25, thought the punch was not serious. But the next day he went to Telford's Princess Royal Hospital and was immediately transferred to Wolverhampton Eye Infirmary where doctors found he had a large haemorrhage in his right eye, which had caused permanent damage to the central retina and left him blind in one eye.

Spence, of Wem, admitted grievous bodily harm at Shrewsbury Crown Court where he was sentenced to 14 months' imprisonment by Judge Robin Onions.

Mr Rob Edwards, prosecuting, told the court that Spence, a father-of-one, had approached a group of people which included Mr Halliwell, who lived in Codsall at the time.

"There was a confrontation between the defendant and James Halliwell," he said. "The defendant ran at the group and Mr Halliwell intervened in a gentle manner to get the defendant away from the rest of the group.

"The defendant reacted by becoming aggressive. Mr Halliwell attempted to pacify him and he punched him in the face with such force that he fell to the ground unconscious."

Spence apologised, and Judge Onions told him: "You never intended to cause anyone any injury, you never intended to get into a fight. You drank alcohol, you drank far more than was good for you and good for the people you came into contact with.

"The consequences are serious. James Halliwell annoyed you. You hit him with a strong blow, a forceful blow. You knocked him so hard he was unconscious for some time.

"At hospital the full extent of the injury was found to be a sub-macular haemorrhage. Operations have not worked and he has been left with permanent damage to the eye. That is down to you." He added: "You drank too much and in temper you hit an entirely innocent man."