A WOMAN who smashed a wine glass into the face of another woman in Appleby has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Carlisle Crown Court heard the incident happened on April 8 last year when Nicola Bone was out in the town with friends, celebrating a birthday.

During the evening Ms Bowe kept encountering Jane Bellas, 34, with whom her family had been in dispute because they suspected one of her relatives had been responsible for a caravan which had caught fire.

“There was something of a history between them, or perhaps more accurately between their families,” prosecuting counsel Tim Evans said.

At first when the two women met there was nothing more than “shouting between them”, Mr Edwards said.

But later on, as Ms Bower was walking to the Crown and Cushion pub, she realised Bellas was following her, still shouting.

“Then suddenly she felt a thud on the side of her face and felt blood running down her cheek,” he said.

Mr Evans said Bellas had rammed the glass into Ms Bowes’ face, narrowly missing her left eye.

Ms Bowes needed treatment for a 4cm gash to her temple and for another wound in her back – caused when Bellas continued to punch her even though she still had the broken glass in her hand.

Bellas, 34, of Bridge Street, Appleby, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful wounding.

In mitigation defence barrister Greg Hoare said Bellas, who had no previous convictions, had been “unusually susceptible” at the time of the incident because both she and her partner were ill.

“There is at least a prospect that she was acting somewhat below par because of her health and the health of her partner, who relies upon her for his day-to-day care,” he said.

Mr Hoare said Bellas would not normally have done such a thing and would not do it again.

“She is someone who has plainly learned her lesson,” he said. “She is expressing great remorse which appears to be genuine.”

Bellas was given a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid community work.

She was also made to attend a course to help her control her drinking.