Bouncer guilty of blinding man

Robert Handford's eye exploded during the attack

A bouncer is facing jail after pushing his walkie-talkie into a student's face so hard his eyeball exploded.

Martin White, 26, of Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, attacked law student David Lowe, 25, in the Lizard Lounge nightclub in Clifton, Bristol.

At Bristol Crown Court on Friday White was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Another bouncer, Robert Handford, 45, of Horfield, Bristol was cleared.

Falling asleep

Mr Lowe was celebrating the end of his university exams at the club in June 2002 when the assault happened.

Drunk and tired, he was asked to leave because he kept falling asleep, but annoyed the bouncers by failing to do as they asked.

The court heard Mr Handford began dealing with Mr Lowe "reasonably well" by trying to stand him up and get him out.

But White then became involved and as the student lay on the floor, grabbed him in a headlock and rammed his heavy walkie-talkie into his eye, the jury was told.

Robert Davies, prosecuting, said this "completely unnecessary action" caused the eyeball to explode and the lens to eject from the eye.

Fractured shoulder

White then dragged Mr Lowe by the belt and leg over steps and carpet out of the club "like a bag of old rubbish".

A barmaid said she later saw White washing blood off his walkie-talkie in the sink behind the main bar in the club.

A former county cricketer, Mr Lowe underwent four hours of surgery and was left blind in his left eye. His shoulder was also fractured in the attack.

His co-ordination and depth of perception have been affected and he now wears a cosmetic shelf to build up the left side of his face.

White was remanded in custody to await sentencing.