A SUFFOLK man has described how he was left temporarily blinded after allegedly being sprayed in the face with a substance that burned his eyes.

Oliver Thompson told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court that on April 30 he had gone to a friend’s house in Bury St Edmunds and had spent the evening drinking with some other young men that he knew and a few girls .

During the evening Mr Thompson and his friends had gone outside for a cigarette and everything had seemed normal until out of the blue something was sprayed in his face.

He said the substance, which tasted peppery, had stung his eyes and he hadn’t seen who had sprayed him. “My eyes were burning and as soon as it hit me I fell down,” he said. He said he was temporarily blinded by the attack and claimed that while he was on the ground he was kicked and robbed of cash.

He said that after the attack he was taken to hospital and it was 90 minutes before he could see again.

Before the court are Ryan Oyeyemi, 19, of Northumberland Avenue, Bury St Edmunds, and two 18-year-old men who cannot be named for legal reasons.

All three have denied robbing Mr Thompson and possessing a spray as an offensive weapon.

They have also denied robbing local butcher Trevor Brinkley on October 4 last year and wounding him with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

Oyeyemi and one of the 18-year-old defendants have denied robbing Adam Driver on April 2 and assaulting him causing him actual bodily harm. The same 18-year-old has also denied assaulting Mr Brinkley’s 18-year-old daughter Catherine causing her actual bodily harm.

It has been alleged that Mr Brinkley was attacked and robbed of his mobile phone and some money by the three defendants as he walked his daughter home after a night out in Bury St Edmunds. Mr Brinkley was allegedly punched and kicked and suffered a fractured skull.

His daughter was allegedly punched in the face and suffered a cut to her mouth and another to her chin which had left her with a permanent scar.

It is also alleged that Oyeyemi and one of the 18-year-old defendants attacked Adam Driver in Bury town centre and robbed him of some tobacco.

The trial continues today.

jane.hunt@eadt.co.uk