Thug squirts ammonia in neighbour's eye (From South Wales Argus)

Cwmbran thug squirts ammonia in neighbour's eye on Newport night out

9:00am Saturday 1st September 2012 in Gwent news By Melissa Jones

Thug squirts ammonia in neighbours eye

A MAN who squirted ammonia into the eyes of his neighbour and then headbutted him in a 'revenge attack' for the matter going to court was jailed.

Aaron Jolosa, 23, of Clyffes, Greenmeadow, Cwmbran, attacked Dorian Neale on two separate nights out in Lloyds bar in Newport city centre.

Cardiff Crown Court how the first incident took place on August 31 2010, when Jolosa was standing outside the bar with his friends, one of whom had a fight with a member of another group which Mr Neale was with.

Prosecutor Hywel Hughes said Jolosa stood in front of Mr Neale with his hand outstretched towards his face, and "without warning" squirted the liquid into his eyes, causing a "burning sensation."

The court heard Jolosa, who lives on the same street as his victim, struck a blow to his eye.

Mr Neale was treated at the Royal Gwent Hospital for a number of hours, where the cell structure of his right eye was found to be disturbed.

When arrested the next day, Jolosa told police the victim and another person were fighting but that he had not been involved.

More than a year later, the defendant and Mr Neale met in a chance encounter in the same bar, on a night out on Boxing Day.

The court heard Mr Neale went to the toilets at 2am when he became aware the defendant, who was on bail for the first offence, was standing next to him and two other men appeared.

Mr Hughes said Jolosa turned to one of them and said "that is the ***** I sprayed ammonia on" before threatening to hit him.

The court heard Mr Neale offered his hand to make up and as he did so, Jolosa headbutted him to the bridge of the nose causing it to "pop" and bleed.

Jolosa pleaded guilty to two counts of causing actual bodily harm on the day his trial was due to start.

Defending, Harry Baker said Jolosa is normally a "calm" and humourous man, who has a good family who support him.

He added his client had held down a job setting up exhibitions since 2009.

Sentencing Jolosa to consecutive terms of 10 months and 14 months, Judge Eleri Rees said she was considering a restraining order because of Jolosa's "determination to take revenge" for the first matter coming to court.

Of the ammonia incident, she said: "Fortunately there does not seem to be any permanent injury but I can't think of anything more terrifying."

A restraining order will be considered at a further hearing on September 20.