Matthew Syron (left) was glassed in an unprovoked attack by Gareth Dean (Picture: SWNS)
A man who was blinded when a stranger glassed him in the face say his new life is ‘soul destroying’ as he’s forced to rely on others ‘like a 32-year-old baby’.
Matthew Syron lost his vision and received dozens of stitches in both eyes after the attack by Gareth Dean at Revolución de Cuba in Leeds city centre last Boxing Day.
Dean, 37, had drunk 15 pints and vodka and was high on cocaine when he launched the ‘unprovoked, cowardly and sickening attack’.
Matthew, who previously played for the Leeds Rhinos rugby team, was visiting family in Leeds over the festive period having emigrated to Australia years ago.
But his life, as well as those of his partner and two young children, have been thrown into chaos as his injuries mean he’s not been able to return to working at his own business.
Although his partner has visited him in England, he has not seen his children since he left for his family trip.
Matthew had to undergo surgery to remove shards of glass from his eyes (Picture: SWNS)
Dean handed himself into police six days after the attack (Picture: SWNS)
In his police interview, Matthew said: ‘This has taken everything from me – my business is suffering, my family is suffering – I’m not there to bring money in.
‘This is affecting my entire family – depending on people I’ve not depended on since I was a child.
‘I can’t put toothpaste onto my toothbrush without someone helping me. I have to get someone to put my clothes in place so I can get dressed.
’I’ve gone from someone not needing anyone to being a 32-year-old like a baby. It’s soul destroying. I hate every day. I hate it, depending on other people.
‘All I do is depend on someone else to get me through the day. I can’t explain how soul destroying it is.’
Dean, of Elm Tree Close in Colton, has now been jailed for nearly 11 years after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent.
Leeds crown court heard that Dean had been drinking since 11am that day, and had watched rugby league before the attack.
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Prosecutor Michael Smith said he had ‘limited interaction’ with Matthew, aside from an arm wrestling competition with his friend.
The prosecutor said while they had the common interest of rugby league, there was ‘no sign of trouble’ between their friend groups.
Mr Smith said: ‘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.
‘He describes panicking, everything going black.’
Matthew hasn’t been able to see his children Brixton (L) and Meka Rose (R) since the attack (Picture: SWNS)
Dean left and went to another bar straight after the attack. He then handed himself into police six days later.
Matthew was hospitalised and underwent surgery on his eyes to remove multiple fragments of glass. He had around 30 stitches in his right eye and 10 to his left.
His left eye will not be operated on for over a year, and there is a possibility he will have to undergo a transplant to that eye.
Matthew can only see light with his left eye, but can see blurry objects in a room with his right.
Mr Smith added: ‘He does not know, or the doctors don’t know, how his eye will deal with ongoing operations.
‘There is simply no certainty whether his eyesight will get better from now, improve from now, or get worse from now. The truth is, he doesn’t know.’
The court heard Dean had a long history of violence, with offences for robbery, aggravated vehicle taking and wounding with intent on his record. He started committing crimes from the age of 15, it was said.
Mr Smith said an assault on Dean’s record involved him attacking his mother’s friend, and another saw him attack another man in a row over fireworks.
His partner Keone Rawiri has visited him in the UK but he hasn’t been able to return to Australia to be with her and his children yet (Picture: SWNS)
Matthew is campaigning for glasses to be banned in nightclubs in response to the attack (Picture: SWNS)
Michael Levy, mitigating, told the court his client was ‘completely the author of his own misfortune’, adding: ‘The only thing we know and discern from this is that it was fuelled, unfortunately, by alcohol and drugs.
‘He does appear to have expressed genuine remorse – I appreciate it is a small comfort to the victim and his family. He’s obviously someone who is capable of acting decently and well and responsibly.
‘You know he has friends and family who think well of him. You know he looks after an unwell and disabled mother and her partner dependent on him and they too will suffer as a result of what he’s done. That’s about it.’
Sentencing Dean to 10 years and eight months in prison, His Honour Judge Mansell KC said there was ‘no sign of animosity and no hint of what was to come’ before the attack.
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Judge Mansell said: ‘The force of the blow caused the glass to shatter and caused Mr Syron to fall to the floor.
‘Immediately after this unprovoked, cowardly and sickening attack, you left the scene. Demonstrating no remorse for what you’d done, you visited another bar.
‘This was plainly premeditated because you quite deliberately positioned yourself to strike him in the face.
‘This is a particularly grave injury resulted in permanent, irreversible injury that will have a long-standing effect on the victim’s day-to-day life and ability to work.’
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