An Ellon woman has been electronically tagged after she attacked her friend’s mum with a prosecco bottle.
Mother-of-one Amber Bruce left the woman’s face “covered” in blood after turning on her victim during a get-together at her friend’s Kemnay home.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told things turned violent when the 31-year-old turned to the woman out of the blue and stated: “You think I’m a bad mother, don’t you?”
She then punched the woman and repeatedly struck her on the head with a bottle.
When police arrived, Bruce attacked three officers as they tried to subdue her – kicking one in the face.
Accused threw punch as woman sat on sofa
Fiscal depute Brian Young told the court that on the afternoon of March 20 last year that the woman and her partner had been invited to her son’s home alongside Bruce at an address in Beech Court, Kemnay.
When she arrived, however, she quickly realised that Bruce and her son had been drinking for a number of hours prior to their arrival.
“The complainer stated that out of nowhere, the accused turned to her and said: ‘You think I’m a bad mother, don’t you?’
“As the complainer sat on the setee, the accused swung a punch at her, striking her on her left eye.
“Thereafter, the complainer felt two heavy blows to the head with a bottle, but the bottle did not break.
“The woman felt pain to her head and was dazed.”
As two police officers arrived, they found the woman still sitting on the sofa with her face covered in blood and two open cuts to her forehead.
Prosecco bottles and a wine bottle were strewn around the floor.
Attack on three police officers
As one officer attempted to speak with Bruce in a bedroom, she lunged towards the constable with her hands raised in an effort to leave the room and a struggle ensued.
Bruce was arrested and as officers attempted to get her into a police car she tried to kick and headbutt one.
She was removed from the vehicle and restrained on the ground, where she again tried to bite the same officer.
Further police units were requested and as they tried to transfer Bruce to a police van she kicked one officer on the leg, a second officer to the stomach and a third officer in the face.
The woman that Bruce struck with the bottle required stitches and now has two visible scars on her forehead.
Bruce, who has a number of previous assault convictions, pleaded guilty to one charge of assault with a glass bottle that caused injury and permanent disfigurement.
She also admitted to three charges of assault on police officers.
‘You need to stay off the drink’
Defence agent Sian Grant told the court that Bruce is “currently working misuse services for alcohol consumption”.
She said: “It’s regrettable that she finds herself back in court but the trigger to her offending seems to be alcohol.
“She is extremely regretful for these incidents and she has shown great remorse.
“Ms Bruce knows that it was horrible the things she did.”
Sheriff Ian Wallace told Bruce: “You have a bad record and this is another series of serious assaults.
“It’s obvious what your issue is, and that’s the drink.
“You need to stay off the drink in order to stop your offending.”
As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Wallace made Bruce subject to a community payback order with supervision for 18 months and ordered her to carry out 210 hours of unpaid work.
He also put made Bruce, of Raeburn Place, Ellon, subject to an electronic tag with a restriction of liberty order for 150 days.
The sheriff added: “You have a child. You do not want your child growing up with a mother with a tag.”
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