Devon eye gouge attacker jailed for 12 years
BBCA man partially blinded his ex-girlfriend's mother at a family birthday party in a "peculiarly savage" eye gouge attack.
Dale Norman, 40, lost his temper after Teresa Graham, 58, told him he was weird at the celebration in Torquay, Devon, on 22 April.
Norman responded by saying "weird? I'll show you weird" and thrusting his thumbs into her eyes.
At Exeter Crown Court on Thursday, he was jailed for 12 years.
Norman, of Barn Park Terrace, Teignmouth, who previously admitted causing grievous bodily harm, was also given a three-year extended licence.
Judge David Evans said: "You are a dangerous man.
"This was a peculiarly savage and chillingly purposeful attack."
William Hunter, prosecuting, said Norman had been drinking heavily before he started behaving erratically and attacked Mrs Graham after she stepped in to stop him assaulting her daughter.
Become a Buddhist
The court heard he carried on gouging her eyes while pinning her to the floor despite her screaming in pain and others trying to drag him off.
Mrs Graham was left with total blindness in her left eye and two eye socket fractures.
She also suffered a serious injury to her right eye but has retained some sight in it.
In a victim impact statement, Mrs Graham described how she had thought she was going to die during the attack.
Judge Evans said: "Her self-esteem has been ruined and there are some days when she simply does not want to get out of bed."
The court heard Norman had previously assaulted three partners including another eye gouging attack.
Heather Hope, defending, said Norman, who was affected by witnessing domestic violence as a child, had now become a Buddhist in the hope of achieving mindfulness.
