Woman walks free after man loses eye in Skegness

Clare Coleman, 34, of Selby, North Yorkshire, was charged with wounding Carl Benham with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm on February 25 this year.

But Edna Leonard, for the Crown Prosecution Service, told the court: “The position as far as Clare Coleman is concerned is that we will not be proceeding with the case and we offer no evidence against her”

Judge Simon Hirst formally entered a not guilty verdict against Coleman who was charged following an incident at the Marine Boathouse in Skegness.

During the evening Mr Benham, 30, was out drinking with a friend when he was struck in the face with a glass. He was taken to Boston Pilgrim Hospital but his eye could not be saved.

The pub had its alcohol premises licence amended by East Lindsey District Council following the assault.

Major concerns were raised over how the management of the pub had dealt with the incident. The security staff failed to detain an offender, despite one of them witnessing the assault and no call was made to either the police or ambulance service by anyone connected to the venue.

At the licencing hearing in June, Sgt Kim Enderby from the Alcohol Licensing Team said: “No blame for the actual assault can be placed on this venue – that lies with the offender.

“However they displayed an inability to deal with the incident once it had occurred, which delayed medical treatment for the victim and prolonged the criminal investigation, as the offender should have been detained at the scene.”