Wirral woman is convicted of injuring friend - 6th Sep 2011 10:27pm
Wirral woman is convicted of injuring friend during row.
A YOUNG Wirral woman injured her friend's face with a glass after a row, a court has heard.
Gemma Shields, a 19-year-old legal admin worker, denied attacking the victim but was convicted by a jury and on Monday was ordered to pay her £1,000 compensation.
She was also ordered to pay £800 towards the prosecution costs and made the subject of a two-year supervision order.
She has to carry out 150 hours unpaid work and stay indoors with an electronic tag between 8pm-7am for a month.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that Shields had been at the Coach and Horses pub in Moreton on the evening of October 30 last year with her boyfriend, Kirk Stewart.
Her "good" friend Jessica Offland was also there but when they were all outside in the smoking area Mr Stewart "made a rude and unnecessary comment" to Miss Offland, said Judge Graham Morrow, QC.
"You had the opportunity to pull him up but you chose not to do so. You and Miss Offland argued and you struck out at her.
"I am satisfied you did not intend to use the glass as a weapon. I am satisfied you did not realise it was in your hand," he said.
"A soldier who witnessed the incident was unable to say if the glass connected directly with her face or whether Shields let go of it and it travelled a short distance and hit Miss Offland.
The glass broke causing a two-centimetre laceration between her eyebrows, another smaller superficial cut and a chipped tooth.
Shields suffered cuts to the hand which had been holding the glass.
Gerald Jones, prosecuting, said that it was accepted that in drink Shields had struck out probably not appreciating she was holding a glass.
Shields, of Reeds Lane, Moreton, was convicted of wounding after the trial last month and the case was adjourned today to enable a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
Philip Astbury, defending, said that Shields, who claims it had been an accidental injury, still denies the offence.
She has no previous convictions and is being supported by her grand-parents, with whom she has lived since she was 13.
"She struck out foolishly on the spur of the moment. It was not premeditated and without the knowledge that she had a weapon in her hand," he added.
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A YOUNG Wirral woman injured her friend's face with a glass after a row, a court has heard.
Gemma Shields, a 19-year-old legal admin worker, denied attacking the victim but was convicted by a jury and on Monday was ordered to pay her £1,000 compensation.
She was also ordered to pay £800 towards the prosecution costs and made the subject of a two-year supervision order.
She has to carry out 150 hours unpaid work and stay indoors with an electronic tag between 8pm-7am for a month.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that Shields had been at the Coach and Horses pub in Moreton on the evening of October 30 last year with her boyfriend, Kirk Stewart.
Her "good" friend Jessica Offland was also there but when they were all outside in the smoking area Mr Stewart "made a rude and unnecessary comment" to Miss Offland, said Judge Graham Morrow, QC.
"You had the opportunity to pull him up but you chose not to do so. You and Miss Offland argued and you struck out at her.
"I am satisfied you did not intend to use the glass as a weapon. I am satisfied you did not realise it was in your hand," he said.
"A soldier who witnessed the incident was unable to say if the glass connected directly with her face or whether Shields let go of it and it travelled a short distance and hit Miss Offland.
The glass broke causing a two-centimetre laceration between her eyebrows, another smaller superficial cut and a chipped tooth.
Shields suffered cuts to the hand which had been holding the glass.
Gerald Jones, prosecuting, said that it was accepted that in drink Shields had struck out probably not appreciating she was holding a glass.
Shields, of Reeds Lane, Moreton, was convicted of wounding after the trial last month and the case was adjourned today to enable a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
Philip Astbury, defending, said that Shields, who claims it had been an accidental injury, still denies the offence.
She has no previous convictions and is being supported by her grand-parents, with whom she has lived since she was 13.
"She struck out foolishly on the spur of the moment. It was not premeditated and without the knowledge that she had a weapon in her hand," he added.
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