by Keith Hunt

A thug who glassed a man in a lap dancing club, leaving him seriously injured has been jailed for seven years.

Builder Andrew Butler thrust a pint glass into Luke Day's eye socket after the victim asked him to replace a drink that had been spilt.

The keen rugby player needed expert facial surgery with 50 stitches being inserted and has been left with nerve damage.

The attack happened while Mr Day was on a night out in the town with work colleagues on December 17 last year, Maidstone Crown Court heard.

After a Chinese meal and visiting Strawberry Moons nightclub, they ended up at The Players Club in Maidstone High Street.

Jane Scotchmer, prosecuting, said Mr Day went to the toilets, taking his drink with him. Butler and another man were using the urinals, so Mr Day put his glass down and went into a cubicle.

He then heard the sound of breaking glass and the men laughing. The duty manager arrived and Butler, 50, and the other man left the toilets.

Miss Scotchmer said they all returned to the bar, where Mr Day went over to Butler's group and asked for his drink to be replaced.

"It was clear nobody in the group was prepared to do that," she said. "He asked again and, without any provocation, Mr Butler lunged forward and headbutted him in the face.

"As he cradled his head in his hands, Mr Butler struck out again. This time he thrust his hand holding a pint glass into his face."

Bouncers rushed forward and Butler was thrown to the ground. He was then arrested.

The victim was taken to Maidstone Hospital and then transferred to the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, where he underwent a two-hour operation.

Miss Scotchmer said Mr Day had permanent numbness in his face and now had confidence problems. He was a keen rugby player but could not face it any more.

Butler, of Bannister Road, Maidstone, denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent, claiming he did not deliberately hit Mr Day with the glass, but was convicted by an 11-1 majority.

He also denied inflicting grievous bodily harm but admitted common assault by headbutting the victim.

Judge Charles Macdonald QC told Butler: "This was a spontaneous, aggressive, drunken attack."