Dad blinded in glass attack calls for law changes

Matthew Syron says he wants to make clubbers safer and avoid a repeat of his own ordeal

A father-of-two blinded in an "unbelievably terrifying" attack on a night out has called for law changes to make club-goers safer.

Matthew Syron remains unable to see after he was glassed in the face by a stranger in a Leeds venue on 27 December.

On Thursday, 37-year-old Gareth Dean admitted the attack.

Mr Syron said he wanted nightclubs to carry out more ID checks and to serve drinks in plastic cups, rather than in glasses and bottles, late at night.

Mr Syron needed 40 stitches in his eyes after the attack and has been given "no guarantees" his vision will return

Mr Syron, a former Leeds Rhinos rugby league academy player, said the changes would bring the UK into line with Australia, where he has lived since 2012.

He said a strict ID system prevented revellers from going to other nightclubs if they had already been thrown out of one venue.

"People can’t be going out glassing people," Mr Syron told BBC Look North.

"It needs to be stopped and prevention is the cure. ID everyone.

"The idiots can’t come in if they’ve been kicked out of somewhere else.

"It’ll protect people in there and (law-abiding clubbers) will enjoy themselves more."

Mr Syron's eyes needed 40 stitches after the attack, which happened as he stood at the bar in Revolucion de Cuba, on Call Lane in Leeds.

Father-of-two Mr Syron has lived in Australia since 2012 and was back in the UK visiting friends and family at the time of the assault

The 32-year-old, originally from Kirkstall, was back in the UK to visit friends and family over Christmas.

Doctors hope a third operation on his right eye may bring back some vision.

A cornea transplant which could revive sight in his left eye may take a year to happen.

He has, however, been given "no guarantees" he will be able to see again, having only recently been discharged from hospital.

'Soul-destroying'

"It was unbelievably terrifying," Mr Syron said. "It is hard to relive it.

"In the first instance, I honestly thought my life was over. I thought it was done.

"To not be able to see the ones you love or see anything and for someone to take that from you – I thought my life was ruined.

"Gradually, as the weeks have gone by, I’ve tried to be more positive.

"It’s definitely not easy. I’ve gone from doing everything myself to everyone else looking after me and it is absolutely soul-destroying."

Mr Syron said he'd had no prior contact or confrontation with his attacker, who had two previous convictions for violence.

Dean was told on Thursday he was likely to spend a long time in prison when he is sentenced next month.

He could even receive a life sentence.

Mr Syron said: "I hope honestly they throw away the key and he stays in there for a very long time and he understands you can’t do this to people.

"He’s not only ruined my life, he’s ruined his own."