Man pleads guilty to Leeds attack, which left man blinded
Matthew Syron - who now lives in Australia - was left temporarily blinded in the attack
Last updated 1st Feb 2024
A man has pleaded guilty to an attack in Leeds city centre which left another man temporarily blinded.
Matthew Syron was out in the city centre on December 27th 2023, when he was hit in the face with a glass bottle by Gareth Dean.
Matthew told us the injuries had changed his life, saying "I would not wish this upon anyone."
"Waking up every day, seeing darkness, having nightmares about being trapped in darkness. Having your family watch you go through this breaks me inside".
Dean, a 37-year-old from Colton, has been told he could face a life sentence because of previous convictions.
He will be sentenced in March.
£31,000 was raised for Syron after an online fundraiser was set up for him in the days following the attack.