A drunken thug who launched separate attacks on two men in St Helens, leaving one of them blinded, was jailed for 11 and a half years.
Scott Owens, 21, broke “good citizen” Kevin Sheridan’s cheekbone after he tried to stop him stealing alcohol.
The 54-year-old sadly died two weeks later from unrelated issues.
Five days before a trial over that incident, Owens went out drinking again and launched an unprovoked attack on Daryl Seddon, 28.
Mr Seddon, who was already blind in his left eye, had his right eye removed as a result of the attack and is now totally blind.
Fiona McNeill, prosecuting, said Owens tried to get alcohol on credit from a shop in Vincent Street at around 8.30pm on October 27, 2014.
When the shopkeeper refused, he put a £2 can of gin and tonic in his pocket, and knocked over a display.
Concerned customer Kevin Sheridan pursued Owens and grabbed his clothing to apprehend him in William Street.
But the defendant “lashed out” to try and get him off and Mr Sheridan fell to the ground and lost consciousness.
He was treated in hospital for a broken left cheekbone and received five stitches to his left eye.
Ms McNeill said: “Regrettably a few weeks after this incident Mr Sheridan passed away. It is right to say the post mortem examination revealed this was not connected to this particular incident.”
CCTV footage of Owens was circulated by police and he handed himself in.
He admitted downing two bottles of wine and five lagers and said he had struck Mr Sheridan when he swung his right elbow backwards.
Owens admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and theft on the opening day of a trial on December 3 last year.
Yet he had gone out drinking on November 28, when he fought outside a pizza restaurant in Baldwin Street.
Innocent bystanders Daryl Seddon and Adam Marshall watched the brawl unfold at around 5.20am.
Owens approached Mr Seddon and punched him to the face, causing him to fall to the ground and bang his head on the pavement.
Ms McNeill said: “He kicked him twice to the face with considerable force – so forcefully he stumbled to the floor.”
Mr Seddon’s right eye had to be removed and he underwent an eye transplant. He had previously lost the sight in his left eye in a car crash.
When arrested nearby, Owens denied fighting and made no comment to police.
He pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent. He has two previous convictions including one for a violent offence.
Mr Sheridan’s niece Hannah Seabrook told the court “wicked and cowardly” Owens left her family devastated.
She said: “Kevin was a kind, helpful and caring man who always looked out for others.
“This is exactly what he was doing, looking out for his neighbour and local shopkeeper without any thought for himself. That’s what kind of person he was.”
William Street, St Helens
She said her uncle could not keep food or liquid down afterwards, lost his confidence and became “frail and weak”.
Miss Seabrook added: “As a family we believe that Kevin never fully recovered from the attack and we watched as his health deteriorated and he faded away.”
Mr Seddon said he could no longer work as a plumber, drive, swim, cycle or play pool after losing his sight, adding: “My life is totally ruined now.”
Katy Appleton, defending, said her client was an alcoholic drug user “desperately in need of support and guidance”.
She said he was the product of a “dysfunctional family”, having watched his dad beat his mum, and had tried to kill himself three times.
Ms Appleton said: “He has expressed genuine remorse. He said he would give Mr Seddon his eye if he could. He said ‘I wish I could turn back the clock’.”
Judge Andrew Hatton said Mr Sheridan was a “good citizen” and “anxious that you might get away with it”.
The judge added: “It’s quite clear that Daryl Seddon’s young life is fundamentally damaged.”
He said Owens was a dangerous offender and gave him 11-and-a-half years in jail – of which he will serve at least two thirds behind bars – and four extra years on licence.
Judge Hatton said: “This is to try and protect the public from your thuggish and drunken behaviour.”
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/