Man who blinded taxi driver in attack ordered to pay £10,000

A businessman who forced a taxi driver to give up his job after blinding him in one eye has been ordered to pay £10,000 compensation.

Martin Reilly, 37, punched Robert Collins, 46, on the head at The Stand comedy club in Glasgow’s west end on August 28, 2018.

Mr Collins had been warned for apparently heckling a performer at the open mic night.

He was then confronted by a woman before steel business owner Reilly stepped in and struck him to the ground.

Mr Collins suffered a horror injury and had to be fitted with a prosthetic eye after the attack.

Reilly, of Paisley, Renfrewshire, was sentenced on Friday.

He had earlier been found guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court of acting under provocation in assaulting Mr Collins’ to his severe injury and permanent impairment.

A trial heard how Mr Collins and another man had gone to the club to watch a friend who was an amateur comic.

The pair had been drinking before Mr Collins was asked to leave.

Prosecutor John Bedford asked why that was, and Mr Collins replied: “I was shouting at one of the comedians.”

The victim stated he was taken to the foyer area where a woman approached him.

He said: “She was quite aggressive and calling me names, saying I was a bully and asked if I was a hard man. I tried to stay calm.

“The last thing I told her was to reign her neck in and enjoy the show.”

Mr Bedford asked what then happened.

Mr Collins said: “I heard a man’s voice from the side of me or behind me.

“He told me don’t speak to my missus or wife like that.

“I didn’t have any time to react as I was assaulted, I was hit on the head and I was lying on the floor spitting my false teeth out.”

Jurors were told Mr Collins suffered a fracture to his right cheekbone, a fractured eye socket and a rupture to his right eyeball.

Mr Collins was forced to quit his job as a cabbie. He is now employed as a carer.

A joint minute – evidence agreed between the prosecution and defence – was read to jurors detailing the victim’s injuries.

It stated: “This caused a permanent loss of sight in the eye.

“He had surgery to the eyeball due to frequent episodes of pain and permanent loss of vision.

“He was fitted with a prosthetic eye and the cheekbone fracture was fixed with two plates inserted.”

Mr Bedford asked Mr Collins why he left his job as a taxi driver, and he replied: “I had to give it up because of my injuries.”

Reilly had denied the charge.

As well as the compensation order, he was also tagged for one year, keeping him indoors between 9pm and 6am. Sheriff Tom Hughes also placed him under supervision for two years.