‘Vicious and unprovoked’ attack in Northampton nightclub leaves victim blind in one eye

A 27-year-old man has been handed a suspended sentence after carrying out a “vicious and unprovoked” attack in a Northampton nightclub, leaving his victim permanently blind in one eye.

In the early hours of Sunday September 19 in 2021, a group of friends were seated in the smoking area of Abington Square nightclub, Bar So, when they were approached by then 25-year-old Sam Maitland, who they say they had never met before.

Maitland was described as “aggressive and intimidating” as he asked the group, “Do you know who I am?”

One male member of the group approached a bouncer, who then asked Maitland to leave and the 25-year-old shouted at the group, “I will see you outside.”

CCTV footage shown to Northampton Crown Court on Monday, July 3 showed Maitland returning around five minutes later and making a beeline towards the aforementioned male in the group and punching him twice. The victim, who was seated, fell backwards and the pair grappled until the defendant was restrained and ejected again.

The attack left the victim with permanent, irreversible and untreatable blindness to the centre of his left eye, along with bruising, swelling and cuts that had to be superglued.

In a statement, the victim said the assault left him “fearful and anxious” about losing sight in his right eye due to it being strained. As a result, he felt forced to give up playing sports and he wears safety goggles to carry out basic household chores and gardening.

Sam Maitland, of Abington Park Crescent, was arrested that same night at a nearby kebab shop, where police officers described him as swaying on his feet with slurred speech and glazed over eyes. They said that, as he was intoxicated, he needed assistance to get into a police van.

The defendant has two previous convictions for three offences including battery and assaulting a police constable in 2015 and then a drunk and disorderly offence that proceeds this offence he is being sentenced for.

William Forber Heyward, in mitigation, said that - when the defendant was further interviewed in August 2022, he made full admissions to the attack and, in a bid to stop himself from reoffending, he has stopped drinking in public and no longer drinks in bars and nightclubs.

The defence barrister described his client as a “family man” and “valued member of society,” who “feels there’s a lot he can give back.”

Mr Forber-Heyward added: “He showed the utmost remorse for what he did and showed significant amounts of regret.”

The defence submitted that there is nothing to say that, with time and counselling, the victim’s anxiety around losing his full sight may go away.

His Honour District Judge John Carter, sentencing, said: “It was a vicious and unprovoked assault.”

He found, however, that the defendant’s references indicated that this offence was “completely out of character” for him.

Maitland was handed a two year prison sentence, suspended for two years. During this period of suspension, the defendant must complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and a 45 day alcohol abstinence monitoring programme.

He was also ordered to pay £2,500 in compensation to the victim.