HAMILTON, Ontario, Canada -- A Hamilton businessman who was severely injured in what police described as a hate crime has won a civil lawsuit against his attacker.

Ronn Mattai was slashed numerous times in the face with a broken bottle by 19-year-old Michael Cordeiro in a Hamilton bar on Feb. 21, 2004. The injuries were so extreme that surgeons had to put more than 200 stitches into Mattai's face to close the wounds. Cordeiro was sentenced to two years in jail for his attack on the gay businessman.

Yesterday (May 4), Superior Court Justice Richard Lococo ruled that Cordeiro must pay Mattai just over $73,000 in damages and legal costs for assaulting the former co-owner of the Junction Cafe.