A DRINKER who nearly blinded a young man in one eye in a late night attack has been jailed - after a friend of the victim spent months trawling Facebook to identify him.

The victim had to have emergency surgery to save his right eye after Brandon Mark Harris, 23, smashed its socket and other bones in his face with a single punch, said Matthew Collins, prosecuting.

Harris had been “bouncing around on his feet like a boxer while waving his arms aggressively” in Micklegate, York, said the barrister.

“He looked as if he wanted to fight someone.”

Then the 23-year-old went over to the victim’s group, which was doing nothing wrong.

The victim tried to calm Harris down, as did Harris’ friends.

But without warning Harris punched the victim hard in the face with a clenched fist and fled before police arrived.

One of the victim’s friends searched Facebook for months until he found a picture of Harris online and told police, said Mr Collins.

Harris, of Stuart Road, Acomb, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm in York.

He had no previous convictions.

“It is city centre violence, viewed by the public at night by a drunken man,” said the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris.

He jailed Harris for 14 months telling him: “Your victim will be living with it for the rest of his life.”

In his personal statement, the victim said the emergency surgery on September 19, 2019, had saved his eyesight, but he still suffers from blurred and damaged vision. His eye had dropped and sunk into his face and he had had to have a metal plate permanently inserted into his face.

“He struggles to come to terms with how he looks,” said Mr Collins.

He also suffered from nightmares and flashbacks that prevented him from sleeping.

The victim had been off work for 10 weeks, his mother had had to temporarily close her business so she could look after him and his father’s work had also been affected.

He now feels unsafe when out in York or his home area.

For Harris, Graham Parkin said: “He has latterly started to have suicidal thought consequential upon his actions on that one day nearly two years ago,”

Harris was deeply remorseful and wishes he could turn the clock back. He had behaved out of character.

At the time, he had had mental health issues that were not being treated.

Since then he had been in contact with mental health services and had also tackled his alcohol problems, said Mr Parkin.

Mr Collins said Harris had been part of a group arguing among themselves on Micklegate at 3.50am.

He went across to the victim’s group and started shouting abuse.