A RUGBY player with a leading Herefordshire club has been jailed for punching a man in a pub and causing him to lose the sight in one eye.

Luctonians player Bradley Talbot was in the Ducking Stool pub in Leominster with team mates on a night out after a game when the incident happened, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Charles Hamer, prosecuting, said Ashley Soden, who had been out celebrating his brother's birthday, went past 23-year-old Talbot at the pool table on his way to the smoking area and words might have been exchanged.

Talbot pulled him back by the hood of his coat, Mr Soden turned towards him and pushed him and Talbot swung a punch which hit him in the left eye. As he lay on the floor, there was a general melee and teammate Robert Crowley joined in, Mr Hamer said.

Mr Soden said he could feel blows on his head and face as he was on the floor but by this time Talbot, of Warncombe Link, Hereford, had gone to fetch a doorman and the incident ended.

Mr Soden had previously suffered a detached retina and the blow damaged the repair, leaving him blind in his left eye, Mr Hamer said.

Talbot pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and Judge Robert Juckes, QC, said he had no choice but to send him straight to jail to deter others from getting involved in violence after drinking.

Crowley, aged 25, of Buckland Farm, Docklow, Leominster, pleaded guilty to affray.

Mark Thompson, defending, said Talbot would have had no idea that Mr Soden had a damaged eye and he was "mortified" about the effect of his actions.

"He plays rugby at a very high level and he is well aware of the discipline required to avoid causing injury," Mr Thompson said.

Talbot, he told the court, had not been out drinking since the incident in the early hours of February 1 last year.

Matthew Barnes, defending Crowley, said he could not remember anything but he admitted his involvement when police showed him CCTV footage, which was played to the court.

"The reason this took place was that everyone involved had been drinking," Judge Juckes said. "It is the kind of violence the courts have to do everything they can to discourage."

He said Mr Soden had been "simply thumped in the face" and had lost the sight of his already damaged eye which had led him to fear for his future job prospects.

Talbot was given a nine months jail sentence and was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to Mr Soden, though Judge Juckes said the sum could not reflect the damage that had been caused.

Crowley was given a sentence of three months suspended for twelve months and ordered to pay £720 towards costs.