A 24-YEAR-OLD woman who attacked another woman with a bottle in a St Helier nightclub has been spared prison because she has three small children – and another on the way.
Billi Manson, who is six months pregnant, was told she would have been jailed for the two charges of grave and criminal assault and being drunk on licensed premises, were it not for her children.
Instead she was ordered to carry out 180 hours of community service, and to pay her victim £1,500 in compensation.
The attack took place in Havana nightclub in Bath Street on the evening of 16 July. Legal adviser Paul Lee, prosecuting, told the Magistrate’s Court that after the victim shoved Manson, the defendant lashed out with the bottle.
The victim was left with a small, permanent scar on her left eyebrow and now suffers ‘flashbacks’ and ‘panic attacks’, the court heard.
Mr Lee added that the victim was now reluctant to go out for fear of coming across Manson or one of her friends, saying: ‘It has affected her friendships.’
The court heard that Manson had five previous convictions for violence, four of them dating from when she was under 18.
Advocate Frances Littler, defending, said that Manson had had a difficult childhood and added: ‘That gave rise to anger, aggression and issues with alcohol.’
She also said Manson had discovered she was pregnant shortly after the incident and had not been out drinking since.
Advocate Littler pointed out that the bottle was not broken in the attack, and said: ‘It has the appearance of an emotional response, possibly fuelled to some extent by alcohol.’
The advocate suggested a suspended sentence.
Magistrate Bridget Shaw told Manson: ‘You hit the victim very hard with a weapon, intending to cause injury, to a vulnerable part of her body.
‘There are also the long-term effects on her psychologically. There are consequences to your actions and you need to take responsibility for those.’
Manson denied grave and criminal assault but was found guilty after a trial in November.
Mrs Shaw said Manson would ordinarily have been jailed, but agreed to impose a community service order instead of prison solely because of her children.
But she warned her: ‘If you breach the order you will be back in court.
‘You are being given one chance not to go to custody. You can’t expect another chance.’
As well as the fine Manson was ordered to pay £800 in costs, and was banned from licensed premises for 12 months.
