A terrified mechanic feared he would be left blind after an angry customer sprayed bleach in his eyes.

Patrick Malloy had made threats with a knife and pickaxe handle before getting a bottle of the liquid from his van and hurling it at Haren Kadeki.

The victim was left in agony and could not open his eyes for some time after the attack, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

Malloy was originally charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm but his guilty plea to actual bodily harm was accepted.

The 26-year-old father also admitted affray and having a bladed article and offensive weapon.

Malloy, of Springvale Caravan Site, Springhead Road, Northfleet, was jailed for three years.

He took his Vauxhall Insignia car to Crescent Motors in Gravesend in September last year for repairs, said prosecutor Fiona Ryan.

Mechanic Alan Ali told him the engine could not be repaired and it would have to be replaced. Mr Ali later spoke to Malloy on the phone, telling him the car could not stay there.

Malloy became irate, shouting and swearing. He went to the garage in East Crescent Road on November 11, arriving in a van.

“He was angry and shouting and swearing,” said Miss Ryan. He accused Mr Ali of messing up his car. “Mr Ali tried to talk it through with him, but he remained angry,” she said.

Malloy went to the van and pulled out a Stanley knife and waved it around threatening: “I am going to kill someone, if not I am going to cut someone.”

He returned to the van and fetched the pickaxe handle. He went back to the van again and returned with the bleach in a Lucozade bottle.

Mr Kadeki tried to act as peacemaker but the liquid was sprayed in his face.

Miss Ryan said: “He immediately experienced pain and started screaming. Mr Malloy said ‘it is bleach’ before getting back in his van and driving off.”

The victim was taken to hospital and found to have burns to both corneas in his eyes. He had blurred vision. He did not fully recover for a month.

Malloy was arrested the next day while driving drunk. The weapons were in the van.

Mr Kadeki, who did not want to cooperate with the prosecution, said in a victim statement: “I kept thinking I am going to be blind. I felt the worst pain I have experienced. I couldn’t open my eyes.”

Malloy was at the time grieving for a cousin who committed suicide in Ireland. He had not seen his newly born son because of his arrest.

"You have done something breathtakingly stupid and dangerous" - Judge Julian Smith

Judge Julian Smith told Malloy: “You appeared to be out of control in your rage. The bleach hurt so much Mr Kadeki described it as taking his breath away.

“These were incredibly unpleasant injuries. He couldn’t open his eyes for a week. It took three weeks for his sight to recover. These injuries were grave. They could have been very much worse."

Malloy was at the time grieving for a cousin who committed suicide in Ireland. He had not seen his newly born son because of his arrest.

But said the judge: “You have done something breathtakingly stupid and dangerous. You were in the wrong - absolutely and fundamentally in the wrong.

“It could have been catastrophic. If blindness had occurred, the sentence would have been measured in double figures.”