Reveller needed surgery to save sight after brutal beating in Leeds bar
A man who was badly beaten by two thugs in a Leeds bar needed surgery to save his sight, a court heard.
He also suffered a broken nose and cheekbone after Connor Dunford and Saran Kaup-Samuels cornered him and meted out a savage assault in Lazy Lounge in the city centre.
The pair appeared at Leeds Crown Court this week and admitted Section 20 GBH.
The court heard the victim had been out on March 17, 2023, with his girlfriend, who knew Dunford.
The couple got into an argument as they moved to different bars, ending up at Lazy Lounge off Wellington Street.
It was there that Dunford and Kaup-Samuels believed the man had assaulted his girlfriend. Having already told him they didn’t like him, they then launched at him in the landing area of the venue.
As he tried to escape they grabbed him and Kaup-Samuels punched him twice before Dunford punched him.
After searching for his lost phone, he was punched twice again by Dunford.
He was taken to Leeds General Infirmary where he underwent the surgery on his eye socket.
Both defendants were arrested.
Dunford, 27, of Gotts Road, Leeds, has two previous convictions for three offences, including drug-related offences.
Kaup-Samuels, 28, also of Gotts Road, Leeds, has one previous conviction for being drunk and disorderly.
Mitigating for Dunford, Nicholas Leadbeater said he was trying to help the woman, whom he thought had been attacked.
He said “He went in with the best of intentions but unfortunately, matters deteriorated.
“He admits he was wholly in the wrong. He was shocked to hear the level of injuries and apologises, unreservedly.
“He was not out looking for trouble that night.”
For Kaup-Samuels, Nathan Davis said he expressed “genuine remorse” and said: “He knows he should have acted differently.
“It was a wholly out-of-character offence.”
Judge Neil Clark gave them both a 24-month sentence, suspended for 24 months.
They were both given a four-month curfew order and told to pay £600 compensation to the victim.
Kaup-Samuels was also given 200 hours of unpaid work.