An irate barman who left a punter blind in one eye when he hit him for borrowing £20 and spending it in another pub was jailed yesterday (Wednesday).

Andrew Wimbush, whose partner is the landlady of the Fleur de Lis in Stokenchurch, hit friend James Birch so hard that his eyeball ruptured after he lent him £20 and put it on his bar tab.

Wimbush happily agreed to give him the money – but became furious when it emerged that Mr Birch had used it to go drinking in a different village pub and later attacked him, leaving the painter and decorator blind in one eye.

After punching the victim twice, Wimbush, of The Common, walked away before turning back and putting Mr Birch in the recovery position.

He then calmly walked back to the Fleur de Lis, in Oxford Road, and told a friend what had happened.

The 51-year-old was jailed for two-and-a-half-years this week for an attack that was branded as “arrogant” by a judge at Aylesbury Crown Court on Wednesday.

Judge Francis Sheridan said: “It was a wicked thing. The effect is very simple: he needed surgery and despite the best efforts of the surgeon, he's effectively blinded. That's simply an outrageous end to the loan of £20.

“It’s a most unacceptable, dreadful injury you inflicted out of pure temper and arrogance.

“I’m told you are remorseful but I find that difficult to believe. You held out until the morning of trial; only then did you concede defeat because the evidence was overwhelming.”

He added: “That’s [jail sentence] the price you pay for a bad temper. The price your victim pays is one of a life with one eye.”

The attack happened on September 13, when Wimbush was left incensed when he learned Mr Birch had gone off to drink at the Royal Oak having earlier borrowed £20.

Wimbush angrily texted him saying, “What am I, your f*cking bank manager?”

Mr Birch replied he would give him the money back later, before sending abusive messages to both Wimbush and his partner.

He came back to the pub and threw a £20 note over the bar to staff before leaving again.

Wimbush then went to look for Mr Birch and found him near a social club in Stokenchurch, where he attacked his friend.

He hit Mr Birch so hard that his eyesight is permanently damaged and is only able to distinguish light and dark shapes and is unable to see colours.

Police charged Wimbush with grievous bodily harm without intent, which he initially denied, but he eventually confessed and pleaded guilty on what was due to be the first day of his trial.