A WOMAN gouged her neighbour’s eyes in a horror attack because he hadn’t enjoyed her cooking enough.
Wayne Bunting still suffers problems with his vision after he was battered by vile Roxanne Coomber on his doorstep.
Coomber, 29, pushed her thumbs into Mr Bunting’s eyeballs before choking, punching, kicking and biting him in a drunken rage.
Despite the severity of the victim’s injuries, Coomber walked free from court this week after telling cops she can’t remember launching the assault, Norwich Evening News reports.
The defendant, of Thorpe St Andrew, Norfolk, lashed out in September 2019 after believing Mr Bunting hadn’t been “grateful” enough for her cooking.
Mr Bunting has had a series of operations to correct his blurred vision after Coomber damaged a cornea.
She admitted grievous bodily harm and appeared at Norwich Crown Court for sentence on Tuesday.
It was heard that she and her victim lived in the same block of flats. Despite having a friendly relationship, she launched a sudden attack after helping him cook.
Mr Bunting has now forgiven her – telling the court: “I felt all along that she needs help.”
Oliver Andrew, mitigating, said: “She is extremely sorry for the injuries that she caused.
“She had previously enjoyed a positive relationship with her neighbour.”
The defendant, who has 12 previous convictions for 28 offences including violence, was found hiding under a mattress following the assault.
Judge Anthony Bate said her behaviour changed “as if a switch had been flicked”.
“You struck and kicked Mr Bunting multiple times,” he said.
“But the worst part of the incident was that you put both your thumbs into his eyes and gouged at them, causing serious injury that required remedial surgery to avoid permanent damage to his eyesight.”
Coomber was sentenced to a 30-day rehabilitation order and a 12-month alcohol treatment order.
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