Ma’afu Ledger (42) was sentenced to four-years imprisonment for causing serious bodily harm, when he struck a 62-year-old man with a can of beer, resulting in permanent blindness in the victim's right eye.

Hon. Mr Justice P. Tupou KC sentenced Ledger on 29 August, after he pleaded guilty to one count on 3 May this year, at the Supreme Court.

The judge said the offending was on 8 May 2021, when the defendant, the victim and another person, Fakava'inga, were drinking at the victim's home.

The victim allegedly lunged at Fakava'inga and the defendant intervened to stop him, as Fakava'inga was older than the victim. 

The victim threatened to beat up the defendant.

The defendant struck the victim with a beer can, on the right side of his face hitting his right eye, and ran off. 

The victim was referred to Vaiola Hospital from Ha'apai. The medical opinion was that the injury sustained was consistent with "blunt force trauma to the right eye resulting in permanent blindness in that eye."

The judge said, the defendant cooperated with the authorities and despite the Crown submitting the offence was premeditated, and she accepted that the defendant and the victim were intoxicated, and the attack was a spontaneous but unwarranted reaction by the defendant to the victim. 

"The argument did not involve the defendant and had he stayed out of it, he most probably would not be here today."

The judge said having regard to all the relevant circumstances above factors, she believed that the defendant would take the opportunity that a suspended sentence offers, to rehabilitate him.

He was sentenced to four-years imprisonment but with the final 18-months of the sentence suspended for two-years, on conditions.

The judge ordered that the defendant serve his sentence in Ha'apai, where he lives.