Dad Matthew Syron hasn’t seen his children since December last year (Credit: Rex/SWNS)
A former rugby player who may never be able to see again after he had glass smashed to his face has reacted to his attacker’s sentencing which could see him freed within years.
Speaking exclusively to Metro.co.uk, Matthew Syron has revealed his disappointment over Gareth Dean’s 11 year jail term for the attack that changed his life forever.
The 32-year-old dad-of-two was on a seemingly regular night out in Leeds whilst visiting friends and family at Christmas last year.
The Boxing Day celebrations in Revolucion De Cuba turned Matthew’s and his family’s lives upside down when Dean, who was a stranger, decided to slam a glass in his face – unprovoked.
The electrician, who has a partner and two young children in Australia where he moved a decade ago, said he thought he was never going to see his kids again as he went ‘instantly blind’.
The former Leeds Rhino is unable to go back home to Wollongong near Sydney due to ongoing medical treatment, including further surgery in 9-12 months’ time to operate on his badly damaged left eye.
The former rugby star’s face after the attack (Credits: Matt Syron/SWNS)
He said: ‘I will be classed as partially blind’.
Having to rely on others to even get dressed made him feel like a ’baby’ which was ‘soul destroying’.
He said: ‘Last time I saw my children was on December 14 when I left Australia.
‘I call them, but my kids are young enough not to realise what’s going on. But it’s stressful for my partner, who is a full-time fashion designer. We have a lot of support from family and friends’, he said.
‘My partner just came to see me and went back. I don’t want to say goodbye again. Next time I go on a plane I want to go home.
‘It’s unbelievable how much I miss home’, he said.
The horrendous attack has left Matthew unable to work or travel home to Australia (Credits: Lee McLean/SWNS)
Dean, 37, of Elm Tree Close in Colton, was jailed for almost 11 years at a hearing on March 4 after he pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent.
On the sentencing, Matthew said: ‘To be honest, it’s disappointing having people walking around in this country with a conviction like this.
‘He’s a danger to the public, pure and simple.
‘The judge did the best they could by the law, there’s nothing more he could do unless it was classed as murder. I think if you hit someone it’s attempted murder but that’s not how everyone sees it.
‘As a family we are disappointed of the sentencing, but he is going to spend a long time in jail.’
The court heard how Dean had a long history of violence since his teens, including offences for robbery, aggravated vehicle taking and wounding with intent.
The business owner appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Thursday with barely healed scars on his face and unable to see other than shapes and colours to boost his campaign calling for a ban on glass in UK nightclubs and bars after 9pm to prevent other violent attacks.
Matthew just wants to return home to his partner Keone Rawiri, 31, and children Brixon, two, and Mika Rose, one (Credits: Kennedy News and Media)
However, the conversation took an awkward turn when co-host Ranvir Singh said Dean was ‘high on cocaine, he was blind drunk’ which she swiftly apologised for before the interview moved on.
Syron said that appearing on national TV to push for change was ‘unbelievable’ and he was delighted GMB wants help to ensure others are not ‘hurt like I was for no reason.’
‘This will keep happening unless we eliminate glass. It’s not a theory I’ve come up with. I’ve not seen one glass in Australia during the time I’ve been there. No one is out to glass people there.
‘It’s doable – we do it at sports events, comedy nights and events all over the UK’, he said.
Matt appeared on Good Morning Britain on Thursday to talk about the attack and the campaign (Credits: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
He continued: ‘I’m not going to sit at home and let my mental health go down the drain.
‘I’m a very outgoing person, it would take a lot for me to hide away from something.’
He said he was doing ‘all I can to get the campaign going’ which was also helping him to ‘get up every day’.
‘I’ve got messages from people saying they have loved ones who have lost eyes in attacks.
With almost 8,000 signatures out of 10,000 on Change.org, he was hoping the petition would be heard in Parliament soon for the licensing law to change.
Currently, he is staying with his dad in Leeds and focusing on the ‘healing process’.
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