Woman who left nightclubber with nine-inch scar after bottle attack is jailed
A mum from Scotland has been jailed for nine months after a violent attack in a nightclub left a woman with a nine-inch scar on her neck.
Marie Huggan, 44, attacked Jeanette Irvine with a bottle during a dance floor brawl at De Vito's nightclub in Arbroath on 10 July 2022. Huggan also knocked another woman to the floor by punching her in the head, and hit her again while she was down. Sheriff Paul Brown refused to give Huggan a community-based sentence.
He stated: "She has crossed the threshold to custody. This is a serious matter. The harm caused by you to the victim was significant, both physically and psychologically. I have taken into account your personal circumstances, your background and history and you clearly expressed remorse, but I'm afraid, given the circumstances, there is no alternative to a custodial sentence."
The court heard that Ms Irvine was left feeling self-conscious about the lengthy scar on her neck and jaw. Huggan admitted to assaulting Ms Irvine, causing severe injury and permanent disfigurement, as well as assaulting another woman, Ms Mullen.
The court heard how Huggan attacked her victim near the bar, before turning on a second woman. She hit the first woman over the head with a bottle after shouting "Do you know who I am?"
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Marie Huggan appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court (No credit)Christine Allan, Depute fiscal, told the court: "At around 1am, the witnesses arrived at the location. They had been drinking before they got there. They were dancing, having more drinks and chatting. The witnesses saw the accused sitting in a booth by the bar.
"One of them approached the accused and they started talking. They were later joined by two other witnesses. At about 1.45am, the accused was heard yelling 'do you know who I am?' and 'you should, don't start trouble. The accused stood up and hit the complainer on the head with a bottle, causing it to break."
The victim "felt blood coming from her neck" as Huggan turned to Ms Mullen and punched her, knocking her down. Security staff stepped in and while they put pressure on the neck wound, an ambulance was called and passing police were flagged down.
Ms Allan said: "At around 2.30am, ambulance staff arrived. They saw a 10-to-12-inch cut on the left side of the victim's neck. It ran from the middle of her jaw to the collarbone. The accused was found the next day and arrested, cautioned and charged. She didn't say anything."
The victim suffered pain at the back of her head where she had been hit with the bottle, black eyes, and was left permanently scarred. Defending solicitor Keith Sim said: "She has absolutely disgraced herself and deserves everything she gets - not my words, but hers to the social worker.
"She can well understand the trauma she has created for the complainer. She was devastated when she became aware of the nature of the injuries. At one point there were three people crowding around her. She felt under threat but nothing thereafter justifies what she did."
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