Spectacles save woman from 'potentially horrendous injuries' in attack

Pint glass used in pub attack

Kelly Lane thrust a pint glass into the face of her victim at the Nine Arches pub, in Earlestown on the evening of October 1 last year.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday that were it not for the fact the victim was wearing glasses she may have suffered “potentially horrendous” injuries.

Judge Ian Harris said the attack was one that “could only result in immediate custody” as he sent the tearful 39-year-old defendant to jail.

Prosecuting, Sarah Gryffudd, told the court the assault happened at around 10.30pm on October 1, 2023 at the Wetherspoons pub.

She said Lane was “sat on the high tables a short distance away” from her victim.

“While the two were together the defendant began to make comments towards (the victim) stating: ‘look at the state of her’.

The Nine Arches pub in Earlestown (Image: Stock)

Ms Gryffudd said Lane “continued to repeat” this comment and “this led a confrontation between the two women in front of the bar”.

Lane then thrust a half-full pint glass “towards the face of (the victim) smashing the glass on her face causing injuries to areas of her face and damage to her glasses which prevented more serious injury”.

CCTV footage of the attack was played to the court and photographs of the injured victim, who suffered cuts, including to her face and lips, and bruising. She also lost one fingernail and partially lost another as a result of “defensive wounds”.

The victim was taken to Warrington Hospital overnight for treatment.

Victim personal statement read to court

Ms Gruffydd read a victim personal statement made one month after the assault, which set out the effects her injuries have had on her and the attack’s “psychological impact”.

This has included dizzy spells and her diet being affected due to only being able to have “soft food” due to cuts in her mouth.

The statement added: “I’m very much aware that if I was not wearing glasses I would have lost my eye.

She now “avoids” the Nine Arches pub and “crosses the road to walk past it” and “feel unsafe in the area I live” and “I am concerned about bumping into the defendant locally”.

The court heard the victim has been unable to carry out hobbies such as hiking and her normally “active” lifestyle has been disrupted.

It was said she has lost around £300 of income due to being unable to do her work as a cleaner and had to pay £280 for new glasses.

Lane was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday (Image: Stock)

Ms Gruffydd said Lane had three previous convictions for four offences of a “similar nature though less serious”, which were for battery assault, the most recent in 2013.

Defending Lane, Stella Hayden asked the judge to suspend her prison sentence, citing her early guilty plea “accompanied by remorse.”

She said when being interviewed by police as footage of the attack was played she “experiences shame and doesn’t recognise herself”.

Ms Hayden said Lane had recently lost her moth-in-law and grandmother, adding she is now a grandmother herself and that “immediate imprisonment would impact on others”.

Judge passes immediate prison sentence

However, judge Harris said he could not suspend the sentence.

Referencing the victim personal statement heard by the court, the judge said: “It’s quite clear that for the first four weeks (after the assault) she suffered considerably because of the harm you caused as well as psychological symptoms. I’m of the view that her concerns will be ongoing.

“Fortunately the victim was wearing spectacles, they were damaged irreplaceably. It is clear they protected her from potentially horrendous injury.”

Kelly Lane (Image: Merseyside Police)

Judge Harris added to Lane: “I regret to tell you I cannot suspend the sentence in this case.”

He said aggravating factors were Lane’s “previous convictions” and “the fact the offence was committed under the influence of alcohol.

“You lost your control under the influence”.

He acknowledged Lane was “remorseful” and “recognised how dangerous your actions were” but said it was “fortunate” Lane hadn’t caused more serious injuries and the attack has had a “substantial impact” on her victim.

He added: “To thrust a glass to someone’s face and cause injuries can only result in immediate imprisonment.”

He sentenced Lane, of Lloyd Crescent, Newton-le-Willows, to 12 months in prison, reduced from 18 months for her guilty plea.

A one-month concurrent term was passed for the criminal damage to the victim’s glasses.

The judge also imposed a seven-year restraining order prohibiting Lane from contacting her victim.