A DRUNK man who blinded his friend in one eye when he kicked his head 'like a football' has been jailed.

Shaun Mitchell kicked Christopher Stones in the face as though taking a 'full-blooded penalty kick' after a Christmas party in Evesham, Worcester Crown Court was told.

The 41-year-old of Rose Bank, Evesham, who had already admitted grievous bodily harm, appeared before Judge Robert Juckes on Friday, January 13 to be sentenced.

The attack took place December 12, 2015 following an office Christmas party.

Mr Stones had planned to stay at Mitchell's house, the two having been friends for some time.

Marc Davies, prosecuting, said both had been drunk.

Mr Stones had been told to leave a club at around 2am, walking to Mitchell's home address alone.

Mr Stones became 'impatient' to get inside because it was cold, kicking the door in frustration which drew the attention of one of Mitchell's neighbours.

The neighbour left to find Mitchell and Mr Stones entered the house through an insecure window, damaging it.

Upon returning home, Mitchell was overheard to say: "Stoner is in there and I'm going to have him when he comes out."

Mitchell then slammed his own window, the same one already damaged, smashing it.

Mr Stones was pulled out of the house through a window and Mitchell put his knee on his throat.

As Mr Stones got up and walked away, Mitchell pushed him over and he felt a blow to his head.

Mr Davies said: "The neighbour saw the defendant take a step back and swing his leg back as if he was taking a penalty kick and kicked out with great force."

Mitchell told him: "If you think that's bad, do anything like that again and I'll kill you."

Mr Stones attended casualty the next morning and found he had suffered a detached right cornea which, despite medical treatment, resulted in the permanent loss of sight in his right eye.

In a victim statement, Mr Stones said the injury had forced him to take six weeks off work and had affected his appearance.

He has also been told he may lose the eye altogether and the injury has also limited his ability to play sport

He said: "I'm afraid of going out alone and being left alone and feel vulnerable. I'm only 25 and I have to live with this for the rest of my life.

"It upsets me to think that somebody who I spent a lot of time with could do such a thing."

Anna Midgley, defending, described it as an assault which took place 'out of frustration, almost as an afterthought, with utterly devastating consequences'.

She said: "It was entirely gratuitous and utterly unnecessary.

"Mr Mitchell deeply regrets the consequences of his actions."

Mitchell had already been sacked from his job as a result of the assault, she added.

She described him as a 'dedicated father' and 'a hard-working man'.

Judge Robert Juckes QC acknowledged Mitchell had been subject to provocation.

But he added: "While I understand the position you were in, he had already been brought to ground and punched once. You then stood away from him and kicked him in a way that has been described as a full-blooded penalty kick at a football match."

He jailed Mitchell for 18 months.