An 18-year-old has been jailed for 10 years after blinding another man in one eye outside a Suffolk pub.

Jamie Stevens, of Cowgate, Norwich, was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday after admitting a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent on May 13 this year.

The court previously heard the victim had gone to the Golden Lion pub in Newmarket to pick up three friends after the 18-year-old threatened to splash acid over one of them during an argument.

Edward Renvoize prosecuting said on his arrival at the pub the victim went into the beer garden and told Stevens he shouldn’t make that type of threat to people and had then walked away.

As he went to his car he was approached by Stevens who squirted liquid from a Lucozade bottle in his face.

“He cried out in pain and felt burning and couldn’t see out of his left eye,” said Mr Renvoize.

The victim was taken to hospital and when Stevens was arrested he declined to answer questions.

In a statement read to the court the victim said he had gone to the pub after receiving a telephone call from a family friend who said she and her two friends were too frightened to leave the pub after being threatened by a man.

He went to the pub to collect them and told Stevens what he’d said to the women was “bullying and nasty”.

He said that after Stevens squirted, what turned out to be ammonia in his face, he had spent several hours having his eyes washed out at hospital.

As a result of the attack his cornea had been burned away and he’d had to learn to drive using just one eye.

He said that since the attack he’d suffered panic attacks and nightmares and had broken down several times in despair.

Natasha Nair, for Stevens, had said at the earlier hearing he had a difficult and troubled background and had mental health issues.

She said he had expressed remorse for what he did.

In addition to being sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison, Stevens was also ordered to pay a £190 victim surcharge.