A Good Samaritan teenager who had sulphuric acid thrown in his face when he tried to break up a fight only kept his sight because his
contact lenses saved his eyes from irreparable damage, a court heard.
Landscape gardener Stephen Kerslake, 19, was walking home from a rugby club charity night when he met eight youths he recognised as former schoolmates.
Courtney Bunce, 18, one of the group, showed him a medicine bottle full of acid before one of the group punched a passer-by in an apparently unprovoked attack.
When Mr Kerslake stepped in to try to stop his former friends attacking the passer-by, Bunce splashed acid into his face and left eye.
Mr Kerslake grabbed the injured man and ran to a nearby kebab van where he splashed water on his face and both men were taken to hospital, the court heard.
Doctors said it was only his
contact lenses which protected him from going blind.
Bunce, who pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm, was jailed for 21 months and ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to Mr Kerslake at Basildon Crown Court in Essex.
Judge Michael Brooke QC said Bunce had caused a "most unpleasant set of injuries".
The court heard the fight took place at South Woodham Ferrers, in Essex, at about 3.15am on June 21.
The court heard Mr Kerslake challenged the group who were assaulting the man, saying that he hadn't done anything wrong and he couldn't defend himself against the group of men.
He told Bunce: "If you're going to have a go at him, why not have a go at me?"
Mr Kerslake described the acid attack as "a searing, burning sensation which left my skin bubbling. I would rather have been stabbed,"
After the sentencing, he added: "He's a mindless thug."
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10-07-2008, 03:15 PM
Good Samaritan's contact lenses save eyesight from acid attack
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