Ex-rugby ace blinded in glassing by thug who snorted cocaine and sank 15 pints

Ex-Leeds Rhinos player Matthew Syron, 32, was left blinded in an attack at a nightclub in West Yorkshire.

Syron was partying at Revolution de Cuba in Leeds city centre, where he'd had little to do with his attacker Gareth Dean, before he was injured in a sickening and unprovoked assault. A court heard Dean guzzled 15 pints, drank vodka and snorted cocaine before glassing the former rugby player.

Leeds Crown Court was told Dean had been drinking since 11am on December 26 last year when he attacked Syron, who was stood at the bar. Michael Smith, prosecuting, said he had had "limited interaction" with Syron, apart from an arm wrestling competition with a friend.

Mr Smith added the groups had had some interaction due to their common interest in rugby league, but there was "no sign of trouble".

The prosecutor continued: "Some time after midnight Mr Syron was stood at the bar, standing next to some friends. The victim felt something push past his shoulder and it appears the defendant leant past him and pushed the glass into his face, with it shattering.

"Mr Syron immediately fell to the floor, realising his vision had gone blind. In due course, he had to have glass removed from his eyeballs." Dean left to visit another bar, before handing himself into the police six days later.

Syron - who was visiting family from his home in Australia, where he lives with his fiance and young children - was taken to hospital, and he underwent surgery. The court was told Syron can only see light with his left eye, but can see blurry objects in a room with his right eye.

The victim said: "I have gone from being a person that doesn't need anything from anyone to now being a 32-year-old that's like a baby. It is soul-destroying. I hate every day."

Dean was handed an extended sentence of 15 years, made up of 10 years and eight months in prison, with a five-year extended licence period, after he pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Judge Richard Mansell, KC, told Dean: "Immediately after this unprovoked, cowardly and sickening attack, you left the scene. Demonstrating no remorse for what you'd done, you visited another bar."

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