Taxi driver forced to quit after he was blinded by stranger
ATAXI driver had to give up his job after he was blinded in one eye following an attack at a comedy club. Robert Collins, 46, was punched on the head by steel business owner Martin Reilly, 37, at The Stand in Glasgow’s West End on August 28, 2018.
Collins had been warned for apparently heckling a performer at the open mic night.
He was then confronted by a woman before Reilly stepped in and struck him to the ground.
Collins suffered a horrific injury and had to be fitted with a prosthetic eye after the attack.
Reilly was found guilty under provocation by a jury at Glasgow Sheriff Court to the assault to Collins’s severe injury and permanent impairment.
The court heard Collins and another man had gone to the club to watch a friend who was an amateur comic.
The pair had been drinking Collins was asked to leave.
Prosecutor John Bedford asked why that was and Collins replied: “I was shouting at one of the comedians.”
The victim stated he was taken to the foyer area where a woman approached him.
He said: “She was quite aggressive and calling me names saying I was a bully and asked if I was a hard man. I tried to stay calm.
“The last thing
I told before her was to rein her neck in and enjoy the show.”
Bedford happened.
Collins said: “I heard a man’s voice from the side of me or behind me.
“He told me don’t speak missus or wife like that.
“I didn’t have any time to react as I was assaulted, I was hit on the head and I was lying on the floor spitting my false teeth out.”
Jurors were told Collins suffered a fracture to his right cheekbone, a fractured eye socket and a rupture to his right eyeball.
Collins was forced to quit his job as a cabbie. He is now employed as a carer.
A joint minute – evidence agreed asked what then to my between the prosecution and defence – was read to jurors detailing the victim’s injuries.
It stated: “This caused ... a permanent loss of sight in the eye.
“He had surgery to the eyeball due to frequent episodes of pain and permanent loss of vision.
“He was fitted with a prosthetic eye and the cheekbone fracture was fixed with two plates inserted.”
Bedford asked Collins why he left his job as a taxi driver and he replied: “I had to give it up because of my injuries.”
Reilly, Of Paisley, has denied the charge.
Sentence was deferred until next month for background reports by Sheriff Tom Hughes who remanded Reilly in custody meantime.