A MAN who was attacked with a skateboard suffered a fractured eye socket which required five metal plates to be inserted during an operation, a court was told.

David Baude was injured after a flare up with Bradley Down at Eastleigh's multi-storey car park.

Down, has now started a three-year prison sentence following the attack.

Roderick Blain, prosecuting at Southampton Crown Court, said the two had been drinking and were part of a group, some of whom were skateboarders. The pair eventually made their way up to the tenth floor of the car park where an argument developed between them. Down picked up a skateboard and swung it at Mr Baude, catching him on the left side of his face.

As a result, he suffered a serious laceration and damage to the eye socket which required an operation under general anaesthetic for five metal plates to be inserted.

Mr Blain said that about a week later Down approached two separate witnesses, threatening them about statements they had made to the police.

Down, 21, of Samford Place, Eastleigh, pleaded guilty to one charge of causing grievous bodily harm and two of witness intimidation.