Jealous Mansfield man lacerated eyeball of ex's new partner

Timothy Cuff had been downing shots and alco-pops before approaching the man in the Lexis nightclub, on Leeming Street, on May 29.

When he made to punch him, his victim turned and Cuff hit the back of his head.

“The defendant reached around and scratched his neck and eyes while his victim tried to shake him off,” said prosecutor Robert Carr.

“The following morning he went to A&E where his eyeball was sutured.”

The court heard six stitches were needed and the operation “was painful even under anaesthetic.”

“He had just started a new job as a salesman three weeks before and had to have two weeks off work while his wound healed,” said Mr Carr, adding that Cuff’s victim lost earnings while on sick pay.

In police interview, Cuff admitted that seeing the man with his ex “wound him up”, said Mr Carr. “He said he knew what he was doing despite the drink.”

Cuff, 20, of Glenmooar Close, Forest Town, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm when he appeared before magistrates in Mansfield, on Thursday.

Emma Cornell, mitigating, said he was “genuinely ashamed of himself and felt sorry for the other clubbers who saw his behaviour.”

“He had been with the lady for five years and dealt with the break-up badly,” she said. “He has since played football with the victim and they have shaken hands and have drawn a line under it.”

The court heard that Cuff, a sales assistant with no previous convictions, lives with his parents, who were “appalled” by what he did.

District judge Andrew Meachin said: “This is a serious offence which will probably end up in a custodial sentence.

“I have no doubt that you didn’t intend to cause the damage you did, but there’s also no doubt that you did decide to assault him.”

He handed Cuff 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, with 200 hours of unpaid work.

He was ordered to pay £500 compensation, as well as a £115 government surcharge and £85 court costs.