A WAITER lost an eye in a fight with a co-worker at an Indian restaurant after a New Year’s Eve shift.

Maroof Hussain punched his colleague once in the face after a drunken row at the Spice of India in Cuerdley, a blow which left the victim with 'catastrophic and life-changing injuries'.

On Monday, November 25, the 20-year-old was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting inflicting grievous bodily harm.

The court heard that Hussain and his victim were picked up from their homes in Oldham in separate minibuses by the owners of the Widnes Road curry house in order to work a shift in the restaurant on New Year's Eve 2018.

After customers had left the premises, formerly the Cuerdley Cross pub, the staff began to drink vodka.

Warrington Guardian:

The defendant 'became emotional' about his mum being ill and made a remark about her having cancer.

Kitchen staff attempted to calm the dad down, but he was 'getting het up and causing a scene'.

Later on, Hussain was sat in the front passenger seat of a minibus at the rear of the restaurant waiting to be taken home.

He was approached by the victim, who 'asked if he thought cancer was something to joke about'.

Hussain then punched him once in the face, knocking him unconscious and leaving him with blood pouring from his left eye.

After being rushed to hospital, it was discovered that the 23-year-old had suffered a broken nose and eye socket.

Surgeons later had to remove the eye, leaving him partially-sighted.

A statement from the victim read out in court described how he had twice attempted suicide and been left unable to work since the incident.

The statement added: "As a result of this assault on me, I have suffered catastrophic, life-changing injuries.

"I had a false eye fitted and I am really self-concious about it.

"I'm paranoid people are staring at me when I go out in public.

"Younger family members are scared of me, my nieces and nephews won't sit near me.

"I don't know if I will ever recovery mentally, it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

"When I shut my eyes at night, the same question comes into my head – what is there to live for?"

Hussain, who had no previous convictions, was seen crying in the dock as he was handed eight months behind bars.

Sentence, judge Andrew Menary said: "The facts of this case yet again confirm that serious injures can be cause by a single punch to the face.

"In movies, people seem to hit each other without consequence, but a single blow can and do result in serious harm.

"You are not typically a violent man – I accept that you are genuinely remorseful, and you will live with the regret for some time to come.

"In other circumstances you are a perfectly decent young man, but on this particular night you chose to use violence – you quite deliberately landed a blow which had catastrophic consequences."