A TRAINEE teacher lost an eye when he was attacked in a nightclub after going to the aid of a girl who had been assaulted, a court was told yesterday.

Paul Gibson, 33, who was with his wife, Helen, lost the sight in his right eye when he was hit with a bottle in the 42nd nightspot, in Hartlepool.

Surgeons had to remove his eye.

Mr Gibson had gone to the assistance of Stacey Green, after she was punched in the face by the same man, said Martina Connelly, prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court.

Police arrested a former doorman at the club, Craig Sheen, 27.

Mr Sheen, from Darlington, denies any involvement in the attacks on Mr Gibson and Miss King.

Witnesses said Mr Sheen punched Miss King on the left cheek after she became involved in an altercation with his partner, Karen Abbott, and her friend, Heather Shaw.

Mr Gibson, who was standing nearby, saw the incident and exchanged words with Mr Sheen, asking: "What did you do that for?"

Miss Connelly told the jury: "Mr Sheen turned to him, shoved him in the chest and then with a glass bottle shoved it into Mr Gibson's eye.

"Mr Gibson's injuries were fairly catastrophic. He lost his eye completely."

Mr Sheen suffered a cut on his hand during the incident.

Mr Gibson was helped from the club by members of staff and a customer, who was a nurse, went with him to hospital.

Mr Sheen left by an upstairs fire escape and was arrested four days later.

He told police there had been a melee on the dance floor and he had been concerned for his wife and her friend. He went on to the dance floor, tripped and fell on some glass.

He said he was kicked in the ribs and suffered a blow to the back of his head.

He denied glassing anybody, did not see anybody glassed, and was not responsible for any assault of any kind, said Miss Connelly.

Police spoke to a number of people and he was re-arrested. He chose to make no reply. He failed to answer police bail and he was not traced for seven months.

Mr Sheen, of Fenby Avenue, denies wounding Mr Gibson with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on May 4, last year, common assault on Miss King, and an actual bodily harm assault on Mr Greaves.

The case continues.