Two face sentence after shocking attack outside bar
TWO men will be sentenced next week for a bottle attack that knocked a 20-year-old woman unconscious and left her with black eyes and facial wounds.
Katie MacDonald was unconscious for at least a minute after being hit with a glass bottle outside Alpine bar in Ormskirk in the early hours of Friday, January 18.
The Edge Hill University geography student then had a seizure.
An appeal for witnesses was launched on social media, with shocking images showing the extent of the Southport woman’s injuries.
After the attack, Katie’s mum, Jane, said that her daughter had suffered three deep lacerations – which needed gluing – as well as badly swollen cheeks and black eyes.
Lancashire police released CCTV images in their appeal for information and Ormskirk men Charlie Lawton, 24, and David Moran, 22, were both arrested in connection with the incident.
Lawton, of Cottage Lane, was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon (the glass bottle) and Moran, of Redgate, was charged with affray and possession of an offensive weapon.
At Preston Magistrates’ Court in September, the pair each pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
The case was adjourned for a pre-sentencing report to be carried out by probation officers and sentencing will take place in the same court on Friday, October 18.
Appealing for help in the aftermath of the incident, mum Jane, 41, slammed the two involved as “cowards of men” and said: “One of her male friends was getting abuse, and she went to try and calm things down.
“Suddenly, a bottle was thrust in her face.
“The staff at Alpine were amazing, it’s important to say. The doormen did a great job.”
She added: “You don’t realise what people are capable of. I’m disgusted.
“I got a phone call from her friend in the ambulance and I had to get my nine-year-old daughter out of bed and head straight for the hospital.
“Initially, I didn’t know what we were dealing with. I was devastated when I saw what had happened.
“I never expected to be faced with people throwing bottles. I’m angry about it.
“I’m shocked a bottle has been used. It could have been a lot worse.”