AN 18-YEAR-OLD woman who punched a man in the face has been fined £200 and bound over to be of good behaviour for a year.
But Assistant Magistrate Adam Clarke warned Amelia Berkolec: “You are walking a tightrope.”
The Magistrate’s Court heard that Berkolec assaulted a man in the early hours of 30 August.
Legal adviser Luisa Stewart, prosecuting, said police officers had been outside St James’ Wine Bar at 2am dealing with another incident, when they saw two men fighting and went to intervene.
She told the court: “The defendant punched one of the men with her right hand.”
She added that the victim was being restrained by the police officers and so was unable to protect himself.
Berkolec admitted two offences of common assault and breaching licence conditions that were imposed for a previous offence.
Advocate Alexander English, defending, pointed out that the victim had suffered no injuries and said of the punch: “There was no force in it.”
But the Assistant Magistrate told Berkolec: “It is never appropriate to turn to violence and you cannot keep acting in this way.
“You are walking a tightrope. If you continue to come back to court, then the ramifications for you will be very serious.”
