A chef who tried to help the victim of an unprovoked attack on the dance floor at The Up Bar in Penzance, ended up being knocked unconscious with blood coming from one of his eyes, magistrates heard.

The attacker had turned from the other man and then gouged the chef’s eye, causing damage which it would take several weeks to assess whether or not there would be any long-term problem with sight.

Lee Parker, a carpet fitter, 27, of Lescudjack Terrace, Penzance, pleaded guilty to assaulting Jack Goldsmith, and also the other victim, PE teacher Neil Eddy, on November 15.

Anita Kennett, for the CPS, said Mr Goldsmith, seeing Mr Eddy bent over and being punched by Parker, stepped in between them to try to stop it happening.

Parker then punched him in the face, and he punched him back. The next thing he knew he was lying on his back with Parker on top of him, using his hands and fingers to gouge his eyes. The pain was intense, and he thought he had lost consciousness, then coming to he was taken to the street by door staff. He was bleeding from one eye and could not see.

He later told the police that after going to hospital he was informed it might be several weeks before he recovered fully and it was not known if there would be any long-term damage to his sight.

Mr Eddy told the police Parker had struck him for no reason, subjecting him to a barrage of punches, giving him pain in his right eye, and he too lost consciousness. He had several days off work and had an ongoing problem with his nose which needed medical treatment.

Parker, who had a previous conviction for drink driving and a caution for producing cannabis, was represented by David Harvey.

The solicitor said that night Parker had been out with his girl friend at a birthday celebration. He was on prescribed drugs for depression and had found that drugs and drink did not mix. He had been drinking pints, and then particularly strong shots, and had no real memory of what occurred. When shown CCTV of his behaviour he expressed immediate remorse.

Parker was sent to prison for 15 weeks and told to pay each of the victims £100.