Jade Aston left her victim with permanent vision loss after punching him three times outside a Hanley nightclub after the man put his hands on her waist
Caroline Barry and Simon Hamalienko
15:18, 03 Feb 2026
(Image: Facebook)
A young mother who was “letting her hair down” on a night out, hit a man three times in a horrific attack. Jade Aston left the man with irreversible damage after his eyeball split during the brutal attack.
North Staffordshire Justice Centre was told how the 19-year-old enjoyed a night at the nightclub, Gossip, on Hope Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, with her then-partner, four weeks post childbirth. However, she reacted when another party-goer put his hands around her waist on November 24, 2024, reports the Daily Star.
Prosecutor Lee Stone told the court: “The complainant in this matter met the defendant and her boyfriend at around 3am. They had not met before. The victim was dancing with the defendant and other people. He put his hands around her waist but saw this made her uncomfortable, so he quickly took them off.
The man suffered a ‘full-thickness laceration to his eyelid and a globe fracture on his left eye’, due to a ring she was wearing. (Image: Facebook)
“The defendant told her boyfriend about this and the pair became aggressive. They were removed from the venue, while the victim remained inside for another hour. The defendant remained outside. When the victim exited the premises, she attacked him, landing three punches.”
The man suffered a ‘full-thickness laceration to his eyelid and a globe fracture on his left eye’, due to a ring she was wearing. This resulted in permanent loss of vision for him.
A victim’s statement read out in court detailed the aftermath of an assault: “I was punched multiple times and permanently lost sight in my left eye. I had to undergo surgery to try and restore my vision. I now suffer headaches and my eye occasionally drifts lazily, which makes me feel self conscious. Now I am afraid of further losing my vision.
“I have depth perception problems, which means I can struggle to pick things up or cross the road safely. I was a trainee electrician, but I had to focus through my good eye while working, leaving me with frequent headaches and pressure in my head.
“The incident left me shocked and feeling vulnerable. It left me fearful of suffering more random violence in the future. I used to enjoy going out and playing football. This attack took a part of me away that I will never get back.”
Aston, now 20 from Fairfax Street, Birches Head, admitted to assault causing actual bodily harm.
In mitigation, Simon Dykes explained that Aston ‘saw red’ after being touched due to childhood trauma. He added that she had recently been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
Simon Dykes explained that Aston ‘saw red’ after being touched due to childhood trauma.(Image: Facebook)
Mr Dykes told the court: “This is an extremely unfortunate incident. She delivered three punches to the defendant because he touched her inappropriately. Her ring caught his eye, leading to the globe fracture. On any other day, the injuries would be much less severe.
“Ms Aston and her partner visited Hanley on this occasion to let their hair down for the first time after she gave birth to her four-week-old child. She has always been cautious around male company due to childhood trauma. This male was not known to her. The fact of the matter is that men should not touch women without consent, no matter what.
“I am not saying the victim sexually assaulted Ms Aston. But you cannot touch someone in a nightclub without asking. You do not know what someone is dealing with or what they have been through. He did apologise afterwards. But, due to her history, things escalated. The biggest regret of her life is not walking away. She was waiting for her friends when she saw the victim exit the venue.
“She did not mean to inflict the injuries of this scale. She is deeply remorseful. She hasn’t been out drinking or socialising since the incident and has left her former partner. This is so she doesn’t find herself in a situation like this again. I think you are extremely unlikely to see her standing before this court again. She is mortified.”
Aston received an eight-month prison term, suspended for 12 months.