Woman glassed love rival in club

A woman glassed a "love rival" in a midnight bar attack, leaving her needing nine stitches and with a facial scar she might have for life, a court heard.
Burnley Magistrates' CourtBurnley Magistrates' Court
Burnley Magistrates' Court

Caroline Pattison (35) who had fallen out with one-time friend Dionne Lord over a man both were said to have had a relationship with, had nudged the victim after the pair bumped into each other at Rum Jungle in Burnley.

Pattison pretended it was an accident and the pair rowed. The defendant then lost her temper, lunged towards Miss Lord and smashed the glass across the right hand side of her face.

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Pattison, who has a caution for damaging the victim's car, floored Miss Lord, who also ended up with a black eye and bruised after the violence, the hearing was told.

Burnley Crown Court heard that 11 days after the attack last July 30th, Miss Lord (42) told police: "I have been told without plastic surgery, my scar will be there for life."

Pattison, of Bamburgh Drive, Burnley, was spared jail, even though Judge Andrew Woolman said he had intended to lock her up, she deserved it and it was a "close- run thing".

She had admitted wounding. The judge, who said he accepted the defendant was remorseful, gave her 12 months in prison, suspended for two years and ordered her to pay £1,000 compensation. Pattison had no previous convictions.

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Prosecutor Mr Stephen Parker told the court the defendant and victim had known each other for about six years and the victim would say they used to be friends and socialised at weekends. The friendship turned sour about four years ago. In November 2012, the defendant had been given a caution for damaging Miss Lord's car.

Mr Parker told the court Miss Lord would say she tried to keep her distance from the defendant but when they saw each other, Pattison would make snide remarks. The defendant claimed it was the other way round.

Mr Parker said last July 30th, Miss Lord was out with friends and was at Rum Jungle. She was in a corridor near the ladies' toilets and the defendant was near her, dancing. He said: "The defendant nudged into her with her elbow and tried to make it look like it was an accident. Miss Lord thought that nudge was deliberate and told the defendant to leave her alone."

He said Pattison then said, "What are you talking about?" and the victim tried to walk away from the defendant.

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The prosecutor continued: "Suddenly and completely unprovoked, the defendant lunged towards her, with the glass in her hand and smashed it across the right hand side of her face. The drink went all over her. Miss Lord ended up going down onto the floor."

Mr Parker said a friend of the victim came over and grabbed the defendant, asking: "What have you done ?" At that point, Pattison ran off. The victim went to hospital, where it was confirmed she had a three centimetre-long laceration to the side of her right cheek.

Mr Bunty Batra, defending, said Pattison had pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity and had " brought a long-running dispute to an end."

Mr Batra continued: "She has no convictions at all for offences of violence. There is no propensity for violence. This offence was, in my submission, wholly out of character, isolated, a one- off incident."

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The barrister said the defendant's case was that both had a relationship with the same gentlemen and that was the background to what happened. He went on: "Both parties say they have tried to keep away from each other. On this evening, this was an accidental coming together of the two parties. It was not a case of the defendant pursuing the complainant or attempting to confront her in any way."

Mr Batra said Pattison would say she had felt threatened by the complainant's presence and things she said and accepted she lashed out. He continued: "It was a single lashing out in panic. It was a spontaneous act that was committed in the heat of the moment. She regrets what she did and she is sorry for what happened on that evening."

The barrister, who said Pattison was in work and could pay compensation, urged the judge to impose a suspended sentence. He described Miss Lord's injury as "a relatively small scar to the side of the face." Judge Woolman replied: "I don't suppose your client would be too happy about having a scar to the side of her face, would she?"