2008: MAN WHO RUPTURED COUSIN'S EYEBALL JAILED
A worker involved in building construction from Kidderminster has been sentenced to six years in prison after causing serious injury to his cousin’s eye during an incident at a Worcester nightclub.Stephen Locke suffered a ruptured left eyeball when Richard Calder pushed him to the ground in Bossa Nova.
The damage resulted in the iris and lens being expelled from Locke’s eye, leading to blurred vision and the possibility of losing sight altogether, as detailed by prosecutor Nicolas Cartwright.
Calder, who has known violent tendencies, reacted angrily after asserting that Locke made a derogatory remark about Calder’s father while they conversed.
Court proceedings revealed Calder was intoxicated, having consumed large amounts of alcohol and cocaine at the time.
The 33-year-old resident of Eddy Road, Kidderminster, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.
Judge John Cavell characterized the assault as unprovoked and involving serious violence in a public space.
Calder’s prior criminal record includes a conviction in 2000 for violent disorder following an attack with bar stools in a Kidderminster pub, as well as earlier convictions for robbery at age 13, and an assault on a man during school lunch hours in 1991.
He also assaulted an off-duty police officer in a takeaway restaurant seven years after those incidents.
The judge indicated Calder did not quite meet the conditions for an indeterminate sentence due to the legal standards, although he was close, given his history of violence.
Prosecutor Cartwright explained that Calder’s first encounter with Locke at the club was on March 3 of last year.
Medical assessments showed Locke’s injured eye lost its focusing ability, and there was concern that increased eye pressure could result in glaucoma.
There was also a risk of inflammation spreading to his healthy eye.
As a result of the injury, Locke experienced sensitivity to bright light, requiring him to wear sunglasses constantly, and struggled with tasks needing precise depth judgment, such as pouring liquids.
His retina detached in December, necessitating a second surgical intervention.
The attack also affected Locke’s confidence and made him feel fragile in social situations.
Defence representative Jason Aris explained Calder’s actions were impaired by alcohol and drug use, and he expressed remorse for what he called a moment of madness.
The judge noted that Calder’s prison sentence would have repercussions for his children and those of his partner, with whom he played a vital role.
