A woman who glassed a mother in a “largely unprovoked” attack in a city pub has been ordered to pay her victim £5,000 compensation.
Amy Walker, 24, told her parents what she had done when she woke up the following morning and handed herself in at the police station.
The sickening attack at O’Donoghue’s Bar on Justice Mill Lane left Walker’s victim scarred and afraid to leave the house or play with her children for fear of getting hurt.
She needed 11 stitches beneath the skin and 21 on the skin surface after the horror incident.
Fiscal depute Katy Begg told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the woman had arrived at the city centre bar at 2am on November 3 with a group of friends who had been socialising and drinking in the city centre.
She said: “The complainer recognised a male she knew and began chatting to him.
“The male said ‘my bird wants to speak to you’ and at that point the accused approached.”
Ms Begg said the women did not know each other but a verbal argument broke out.
She said: “The accused shouted to the complainer ‘you’ve got a problem with me’.”
The woman replied: ‘I don’t know you’.
The fiscal added: “The accused held a glass in her right hand.
“Without warning she struck the complainer with the glass to the left side of her face causing it to shatter.”
Security tried to intervene and the pair continued to struggle with each other.
A friend of the complainer then contacted the police.
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The woman was “bleeding extensively” and “extremely distressed”. She was taken to ARI where she was found to have “multiple minor abrasions across her face and significant deep lacerations to her left cheek”.
She suffers nerve pain as a result of the attack and is prescribed medication. She also suffers from anxiety and flashbacks.
Ms Begg said the complainer was “fearful” of leaving the house and playing with her children in case she gets hurt.
Walker previously pled guilty to a charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement over the incident.
Defence lawyer Alex Burn said his client had no previous convictions and had drunk more alcohol than normal at the time of the incident.
He said there was a “coming together” of two groups in the nightspot, with the male introducing the two women to each other.
Mr Burn said: “My client thought things were becoming somewhat antagonistic.
“Ms Walker remembers striking the complainer with her hand, she did have a glass in her hand of course and that glass obviously caused the injuries.
“The following morning she wakes up, tells her parents about it and she goes to the police station of her own volition.
“This was not a planned act, it was one strike that unfortunately did have significant consequences.
“She was ashamed and is ashamed of her behaviour and the effect it has had on the complainer.”
Mr Burn said: “This is something which is entirely out of character for her and something which I’m sure she will never be involved in again.”
Sheriff William Summers told Walker, of Gilmour Road, Edinburgh: “You’ve pled guilty to a very serious assault.
“I accept it was not planned but it was largely unprovoked.”
The sheriff said the incident highlighted the “devastating effects the over-consumption of alcohol can have”.
He added: “It’s clear this incident and the injuries it caused have had a profound effect on your victim.
“She is permanently disfigured, it has affected her physically, emotionally and also adversely affected her family.
“I’m prepared to accept this incident is out of character. I recognise you have shown great remorse and shame for your behaviour.
“I’m satisfied, just, on balance the public interest can be served other than by imposing a custodial sentence.
“It’s very difficult to arrive at a figure for compensation when the injuries you caused are so devastating.”
Sheriff Summers ordered Walker to pay her victim £5,000 in compensation.
He also imposed 200 hours of unpaid work and an 18-month supervision order.
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