A DOORMAN at the former Madisons bar has been jailed indefinitely for attacking a man with a shovel, leaving him for dead.

Mark Igoe, 34, clubbed 55-year-old Frank Pemberton over the head with a spade and slashed Sandra Pemberton’s arm down to the bone in the attack at the back of the High Street bar on Saturday, April 25.

Mr Pemberton, a steward at the RAOB Club, in Witton Street, suffered serious head injuries and swelling to the brain.

He slipped into a coma and spent three-weeks in a specialist unit at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.

Speaking at the sentencing at Warrington Crown Court on Friday, Simon Parry, prosecuting, said that although the father-of-two made a recovery, the attack has changed his life forever.

In a statement, Sandra Pemberton added: “Even now it is too early to say what lasting effects this will have.

“Every aspect of our lives has changed beyond recognition.

“I felt like my world was falling apart, I don’t know how I’d have coped if Frank had died. I still don’t know if he will make a full recovery.”

The court heard how Mr Pemberton finished work at the RAOB club and met his wife and son, Paul, for a drink at Madison’s.

But Paul had been barred from the club and a row broke out between two doormen, owner John Bates and Igoe.

Paul and Mr Bates fought at the back of the pub, while CCTV footage showed Igoe, a landscape gardener by day, get a shovel from the back of his van and run over to Paul and Mr Bates, shouting ‘come on’.

Mrs Pemberton said: “He appeared like a man possessed, with anger in his eyes. I told him there was no need for that behaviour.”

She put up her arms in self-defence and Igoe, from Warrington, hit her before smashing the shovel down on the back of Mr Pemberton’s head.

He slumped to the floor while Igoe sped off the wrong way down a one-way street and disposed of the spade.

Just a month earlier, The Security Industry Authority revoked Igoe’s licence when he kicked, punched and stood on another man outside Madisons. The attack on Mr Pemberton came just two days before the licence was due to expire.

Judge Nicholas Woodward said: “This was violence for violence sake.

“I can’t see any reason why you got involved.

“This attack was wholly unprovoked. You are a high risk to the public.

“You deliberately armed yourself before the incident. It may never be safe to release you from custody.”

Igoe has already plead-ed guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and must serve a minimum of six years in prison for public protect-ion, before parole can be considered.

Guy Mathieson, defen-ding, said: “Mr Igoe wishes to apologise for what he did.

“His actions that night were over the top.”