Published: Wednesday, 3rd June, 2009 3:03pm

Sick trio are caged for blinding man in attack

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THE sick trio who left a man blinded after carrying out a brutal attack have been caged for 15 years.

Gordon Brennan, 22, was standing outside the pub waiting for a friend when a gang pounced on him.

He was left lying unconscious in the street after the three men responsible fled after the sickening assault.

This week at the High Court in Paisley, Matthew Fraser, Gary Watson and Craig Manley were all jailed for the horrific attack which left their victim with a prosthetic eye and scarring on his face.

Fraser will spend seven years behind bars, and Fraser and Manley will each serve four years.

The court heard Mr Brennan was outside the Clippens in Linwood on September 20, 2008 when his attackers struck.

A bag of chips was thrown at him, then he was kicked and punched and a bottle rammed into his left eye.

The injuries to his eye were so severe surgeons had no option but to remove it.

He also suffered scarring to his face in the assault.

Watson, 21, of Fullwood Avenue, Linwood, Fraser, 20, a prisoner in Greenock Prison, and Manley, 20, of Churchill Avenue, Johnstone, all originally denied attacking Mr Brennan by kicking and punching him and striking him with a bottle to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment.

But after trial Fraser was convicted of repeatedly punching him on the head and body, striking him with a bottle and knocking him to the ground to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment.

Watson was found guilty of throwing foodstuffs at Mr Brennan and repeatedly punching and kicking him on the head and body to his severe injury.

Manley, who turned up during the attack and joined in, was convicted of repeatedly kicking Mr Brennan on the head and body whereby he was rendered unconscious and repeatedly striking him on the head to his severe injury.

All three were also convicted of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.