A THUG blinded a family man with a single punch in an unprovoked attack after the victim thought his daughter was being attacked in the street.

Robert Williams can no longer see out of his right eye following Ioan Phillips’ shocking drug and alcohol-fuelled assault in the Rhymney area of Caerphilly.

The defendant had taken a cocktail of cocaine, crack cocaine and drink in the lead up to the violence, Cardiff Crown Court was told.

Byron Broadstock, prosecuting, said the complainant, who is in his 60s, had been awoken by his wife during the early hours of Thursday, August 29.

She feared one of their children was in trouble outside their home after she thought she had heard her shouting for help.

When Mr Williams went outside to investigate, he saw a “female on the floor described as being curled up in a ball with two or three males near her”.

It was not his daughter and Phillips told him to “keep out of it” before he hit the victim as he began to move away.

“The defendant punched him to his right eye,” Mr Broadstock said. “He could see that the defendant had a large silver ring on his hand. Blood began to run from his eye.”

By this time, Mr Williams’ son had come into the street before Phillips took out a knife and threatened to “cut you both up”.

Father and son retreated to the safety of their home before the defendant kicked their front door with such force that some of it came off the hinges.

Mr Williams was taken to hospital and operated on but surgeons were unable to save his eyesight.

In a powerful victim impact statement revealing the consequences, he said: “When finally plucking up the courage to leave the house now, I find myself tripping over things such as the kerb on the side of the road because I'm unable to see it.

“This is causing my confidence to take a further knock and I'm relying on other people to come out with me.

“I've always been very social person and will attend a local club numerous times a week to play darts.

“I'm now unable to attend the club without someone taking me, staying with me all night and bringing me home.

“I feel I'm a burden to others who end up staying in the house with me and it causes no end of problems with my mental health.”

Phillips, aged 30, of Twyn Carno, Rhymney, admitted wounding, having a bladed article in public and criminal damage.

He has 31 previous convictions for 62 offences which include battery, burglary, arson, affray and making threats with a bladed article.

“The defendant has served numerous custodial sentences,” Mr Broadstock stated.

John Ryan, mitigating, asked the court to give his client the appropriate credit for his guilty pleas.

His barrister said the defendant was “remorseful” for what he’d done and revealed how Phillips was someone who had himself lost the vision in his right eye.

He was abusing cocaine and crack cocaine at the time of the offences, Mr Ryan added.

Judge Paul Hobson told the defendant: “That punch has led to devastating consequences for Mr Williams and his loved ones.

“The result is that he has lost completely the sight in his right eye. That is permanent.

“One day that eye may have to be removed, depending on future events.”

Phillips was jailed for three years and was made the subject of a 10-year restraining order not to contact Mr Williams.