‘I used to be blinded after being attacked by a glass bottle – now I need them banned’ | UK | News | EUROtoday

A dad-of-two blinded in an unprovoked assault on an evening out has referred to as for glass bottles and drinks containers to be banned in bars after 9pm.

Matthew Syron, 32, was glassed by stranger Gareth Dean, 37, throughout an evening out in Revolución de Cuba in Leeds, West Yorks,. with a gaggle of associates.

He was rushed to hospital after the assault on Boxing Day, the place he had surgical procedure on his eyes that has meant he is been in a position to regain some sight in his proper eye.

Matthew, initially from Leeds, moved to Wollongong in Australia in 2012, the place the legislation there may be that they cease serving glasses and bottles from 9pm.

They additionally scan the ID of everybody in a bar and now Matthew is asking for a similar to occur within the UK for bars and nightclubs.

His attacker admitted grievous bodily hurt with intent and will face life in jail.

But ex-Leeds Rhinos rugby participant Matthew is asking for a change within the legislation to cease such an assault taking place to anybody else.

Speaking forward of the attacker’s sentencing, he stated: “I have never seen anyone in Australia get glassed – I have never even heard of it.

“But 87,000 individuals get glassed within the UK yearly – it is a sickening quantity. None of this is able to have occurred if it this rule was over right here – no person would do that at 6pm. They eliminate glasses earlier than you are even drunk. I might by no means need anybody to be in my footwear.”

Matthew was walking back from the toilet when he was attacked by Dean – who he says he’s ‘never met.’

He said Dean “smashed the glass by his face” which left him instantly blinded.

Matthew said: “I used to be having an excellent time – it was Christmas and I used to be on vacation so issues have been going nice. I requested the bouncer the place the bathroom was and I went down. I used to be then stood on the bar and a man had adopted me with both a glass in his hand or a bottle – we aren’t too positive which one.

“He then leaned over my shoulder and smashed the glass through my face – instantly blinding me. I’ve never seen the bloke in my life, I have no idea who he is. Someone would have seen me speak to him if I had, but nobody did.”

Matthew is hoping to have one other surgical procedure, the place medical doctors will double examine his retina is hooked up, in a few weeks. He then hopes to have a cornea transplant when he is again in Australia however there’s ‘nonetheless no assure that may work’.

Matthew stated: “I was blind until my next surgery – which was a couple of weeks after it happened. I was then able to see a little bit of light out of my right eye. I can sort of now see where I am in a room and see figures, but I’m now going to see the surgeon about a third operation.

“My left eye goes to be lined by a patch – there is not any actual use for it anymore and I can not actually see it something out of it. I’ll then have a cornea transplant which ought to hopefully get me some imaginative and prescient again. There’s nonetheless no assure that may work although.”

Matthew came to visit on December 14 final yr to go to his household however now he’ll be in England for the following couple of months.

He was solely in a position to be reunited with fiancée Keone Rawiri, 31, final week and nonetheless hasn’t seen his two youngsters Brixon, two, and Mika Rose, 11 months.

Dean, who has earlier convictions for violence, admitted grievous bodily hurt with intent when he appeared at Leeds Crown Court on February 1.

He was instructed by Judge Tom Bayliss KC that he may obtain a life sentence for the assault and might be sentenced on March 4.