A MAN who attacked his best friend during a row leaving him blind in one eye has been jailed for 27 months.

Mark Howarth, aged 35, forced Brian Derbyshire to the ground and kicked him once causing him to lose the sight in his left eye.

Subsequently Mr Derbyshire had to undergo surgery to remove the eye, Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday.

The tragic incident happened about 4pm on Sunday, November 23, last year after the two men had been out drinking and they had consumed so much that neither could remember much about it, said Simon Leong, prosecuting.

They were in St Helens town centre when they began arguing. This led to Howarth forcing him to the ground and a witness heard Mr Derbyshire shouting, "help me", and turned round in time to see Howarth kicking Mr Derbyshire, who was on all fours, once in the head.

The victim was taken to hospital but doctors were unable to save the sight in the damaged eye.

The court heard that Mr Derbyshire, who has now moved from Golborne to live with his parents in Widnes, is no longer able to carry out his job driving heavy plant machinery.

Howarth, of Legh Street, Golborne, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm. Jailing him, Judge Sean Duncan said that he accepted that he was genuinely remorseful and he took no pleasure in sending him to prison, but a custodial sentence was inevitable.

"Kicking people in the head is a very dangerous thing to do," he said.

John Dixon, defending, said that Howarth, who has a conviction 16 years ago for wounding, felt tremendous guilt and remorse for what he had done to his best friend.

He had little recollection of the incident because of the amount he had drunk but accepted his responsibility. "He is upset to believe he was responsible for such a serious injury," said Mr Dixon.

Howarth has a family who will be punished by his incarceration resulting from the single kick he inflicted, he added.