A NIGHT out ended in tragedy for two friends after one was blinded by the other during an argument.

Nathan Spence, 19, has been sentenced for two-and-a-half years’ youth custody for the assault with a wine bottle, which left his friend Jon Spall blinded in one eye.

A judge told Spence, of Gillingham Road, Gillingham: “When will you learn, and others like you, that to pick up a bottle and aim it at somebody, is potential for damage?”

Maidstone Crown Court heard that Spence and Mr Spall, then aged 16, were in a group on April 25 last year when an argument developed.

Ian Foinette, prosecuting, said witnesses saw Spence grab a wine bottle he had been drinking from, and swing it above his shoulders, before bringing it down on the victim’s head.

Spence later claimed that they were all walking over a bridge in Chatham when another man started on his friend.

He was sick of the arguing, he said, and intended to hit the other man on the shoulder with the bottle, but it slipped and struck Mr Spall.

Staff who treated him at Medway Maritime Hospital said his eye was bulging from the socket. He also suffered a broken nose.

Nathan Spence claimed he was trying to break up a fight between Jon Spall and another man, when the bottle slipped.

But his actions left his friend injured for life and in hospital. Mr Spall was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital where there was concern about his condition, as his right eye was bulging out of the socket. His nose was broken and deformed.

He was transferred to Maidstone ophthalmic hospital and then moved to Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead in Sussex for specialist treatment.

Mr Foinette said Spence had been caught with a knife wrapped in a scarf on February 17 last year, in Cliffe.

He told police he had it for protection. Spence admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and possessing a bladed article.

Richard Livingston, defending, said the assault was both serious and sad, as the victim was a good friend of Spence’s.

He said: “The last thing he wanted was to deliberately harm a friend. He told me that Jon Spall has not regained the sight in that eye.”

Judge Michael Lawson, QC, told Spence: “There is one part of this that is extremely sad – that a young man has lost his eye and it was done by a friend. That’s something you and he are going to have to live with.”

Spence was sentenced to two years for the assault and six months consecutive for having the knife.