'All I kept saying was, Mum I'm never going to see the kids again': Father-of-two describes horrifying moment he was glassed by thug in completely unprovoked attack in a bar which left him partly blind

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  • The horrifying incident happened in a Leeds nightclub on Boxing Day 

A father-of-two has described the horrifying moment he was glassed by a thug in a completely unprovoked attack in a nightclub.

Matthew Syron, 32, had been enjoying drinks with friends in Revolucion de Cuba in Leeds, West Yorkshire, last Boxing Day when Gareth Dean, 37, smashed a glass bottle into his face. 

The former Leeds Rhinos star had returned home for Christmas to visit friends and family after moving to Sydney, Australia 11 years ago.

The businessman, who is a father to three-year-old Brixon and one-year-old Meka Rose, underwent major surgery in both eyes and, so far, only blurred vision has retuned to one eye.  

Gareth Dean was jailed for 10 years and eight months with an extended five years’ licence period for the unprovoked attack. 

Matthew Syron, 32, had been enjoying drinks with friends in a nightclub when he was attacked

Matthew Syron, 32, had been enjoying drinks with friends in a nightclub when he was attacked

The former rugby player explained on Good Morning Britain how the horrifying ordeal happened

The former rugby player explained on Good Morning Britain how the horrifying ordeal happened

Matthew explained what happened to Richard Madeley and Ranvir Singh on Good Morning Britain

Matthew explained what happened to Richard Madeley and Ranvir Singh on Good Morning Britain

Gareth Dean, 37 from Colton in Leeds, was  jailed for 10 years and eight months with an extended five years' licence period for the unprovoked attack

Gareth Dean, 37 from Colton in Leeds, was  jailed for 10 years and eight months with an extended five years’ licence period for the unprovoked attack

Now, Matthew is calling for a ban on nightclubs serving drinks in glasses past 9pm and increased ID checks.

READ MORE: Cocaine-fuelled thug who blinded a former rugby star in a nightclub in unprovoked attack is jailed for 15 years 

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On Good Morning Britain, he explained how he was terrified he would never see his children again in the immediate aftermath of the attack. 

He said: ‘It was Christmas, I am here to have a good time. I am not here for long. We were having a good night. 

‘I broke off from the group. I went to the toilet. As I came back from the toilet, I came back to the bar and stood with a friend. I was facing the bar, just talking. 

‘I felt something come over my right shoulder. I obviously turned to see what it was. An arm came over and hit me in the face with a glass. 

‘At the time, I had my eyes open so obviously the glass came through my face and into my eyes instantly blinding me. 

‘I fell backwards and the attacker ran off and one of the boys was trying to help me, saying “don’t move, you’ve got glass in your eyes”.’

Matthew explained he was ‘conscious’ all the way through the horrific ordeal. 

He said: ‘The panic and fear sets in. You don’t really know what is going to happen. I got put in an ambulance and taken to hospital where my mum was.’

‘It is hard to understand, at this point anger sets in as well because you don’t why this happened to me.

Mr Syron fears he will never be able to see his partner Keone (right) or his children Brixon (left) and Meka-Rose (right)

Mr Syron fears he will never be able to see his partner Keone (right) or his children Brixon (left) and Meka-Rose (right)

Mr Syron was rushed to Leeds infirmary where he underwent emergency surgery

Mr Syron was rushed to Leeds infirmary where he underwent emergency surgery 

Pictured: Mr Syron with his son Brixon shortly after he was born

Pictured: Mr Syron with his son Brixon shortly after he was born

‘I didn’t know what was going on. There was screaming. My brother and my mum had turned up to hospital.’

Matthew said that the ordeal left him shook up and only managed to calm down when he heard his mother’s voice.

‘Obviously, the paramedics were panicking because I were panicking. They were trying to calm me down and when I heard my mother’s voice I settled down a little bit.

‘My mum sat in front of me and I asked her, “please just tell me how bad it is?” She started pulling glass out of my face and cleaning my eyes. My eyes were just full of blood.

‘You can imagine for my mum, it was tough to take. And it were tough for me to take because all I kept saying to my mum was, “I am never going to see the kids again. What is going on? Why would someone do this”.’