Eye removal attacker walks free

David Barry said the attack changed his life

A teenager has been given a community order for a "terrifying assault" on a father-of-one that left him needing surgery to remove his eye.

Zachery Applegate, 19, of Crayford Road, Oldham, was one of a gang of youths who attacked David Barry on Oldham Road, Failsworth in April 2007.

He pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm.

Applegate was sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court to a 12-month order with 150 hours unpaid work.

Mr Barry, 45, had his right eye removed after he was beaten to the ground by his assailants.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, he said his "life would never be the same again" and he was "fearful of groups of people".

"Before the incident I was a very happy-go-lucky kind of person. I was confident in anything I did.

It hit home and I realised that my life would never be the same again David Barry, victim

"I enjoyed family life, having a wife and son, and we would regularly enjoy going out together.

"Since being assaulted I have a totally different outlook on life. I am now part-disabled, which has had a massive impact on my confidence.

"I no longer enjoy activities I used to take for granted with my family.

"The assault has also had a massive impact on my employment as an extruder operator and I had to take a retest to use a forklift truck.

"I failed the test and became upset - it hit home and I realised that my life would never be the same again."

After the hearing, Det Sgt Jason Byrne said: "David was an innocent man that was subjected to a horrendous and terrifying assault.

"All he wanted to do was go out and enjoy a few drinks.

"His injuries were appalling but they could have been even worse, such was the ferocity of the attack."