A MAN lived with the fear of permanent damage to his sight for some weeks after he was punched by Andrew Taylor, 20, outside a Cotswolds social club, a court heard today.

Taylor, a chef, of Church View, Aston Magna, nr Moreton, had been playfighting with victim Robert Wells before the violent attack, Gloucester crown court was told.

Things then turned nasty between them and Taylor said 'Come on then son, I'm a boxer' before knocking Mr Wells to the ground with a single punch, said prosecutor Derek Ryder.

He went on to knock him over again shortly afterwards and kick him, Mr Ryder said.

Taylor admitted assaulting painter and decorator Mr Wells causing him actual bodily harm on 14th October last year and was sentenced to eight months jail suspended for 18 months.

He was also placed on supervision for 18 months, ordered to attend a 28-session Aggression Replacement Training Programme, and ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to Mr Wells.

Mr Ryder had told the court both men were with others at the Windrush Social Club in Bourton and left together after drinking.

One eye witness said the two men were talking and joking - and hugging each other.

"One of them must have said something because the mood changed," the witness stated. "They started to push each other.

"Taylor said 'Come on then son, I'm a boxer.' He punched Mr Wells with his right hand.

"Then the fight flared up again and Wells was on the ground again with the defendant kicking him with some force about three times."

Another witness stated that Wells had begun the incident by stamping on the ground and shouting a drunken invitation to Taylor to fight.

The witness described Taylor landing an 'almighty thump' which led to Wells 'crumpling into a heap on the floor.' Taylor then started kicking with his right foot, he added.

Mr Ryder said the victim spent five days in hospital, needing morphine for pain relief and was initially blinded by damage to the retina.

Some weeks after the attack Mr Wells said his vision was still blurred and he feared he might have permanent sight damage. However, a later medical report had confirmed that Mr Wells' sight was not permanently affected.

Mr Wells lost two weeks work at a cost of £500 because of his injury, added Mr Ryder.

David Chidgey, defending, said he acknowledged it was a serious assault but he submitted 'there was some element of provocation.' Mr Chidgey said "They got involved in a dispute and there was some mock fighting initially which appeared to end up with them cuddling each other in a drunken manner.

"He doesn't have a bad record but he does have a problem with anger which seems to emerge when he has been drinking excessive amounts of alcohol."

Mr Chidgey described Taylor as a 'useful member of society' who would benefit from help from the probation service.

Sentencing Taylor Recorder Shamim Qureshi told him "You did not need to use so much force. It must have taken a great deal of force to knock him to the ground like that.

"He suffered damage to his eye and had partial blindness for some time. He spent five days in hospital because of it."