Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
OF HORRIFIC PUB ATTACK BY YOB
at the Professional Golf Association had a tip-off that she had been charged with common assault. Olivia, who works at Redlibbets Golf Club in Kent, said: “I had a call from Miss England saying I would be disqualified if I couldn’t prove I was innocent. I sent them police records and the interviews so they could see I wasn’t responsible.
“But they couldn’t have someone under police investigation as a Miss England winner so I knew that affected my chances. I was gutted. “And the PGA also had a call. I work as a coach and it doesn’t look good being involved in something like that. I believe I missed out on work, on job opportunities, because people were looking on the internet and seeing what had happened.”
On Thursday Olivia broke down in tears as jurors took less than an hour to convict Gold. They rejected her claim that she “instinctively reacted” by spinning around and throwing her glass.
Sentencing was adjourned for a probation report, but Judge Patman said the offence
“crossed the custody threshold by a mile”.
Gold will be sentenced on April
27 and could face a jail term of more
Olivia made the final of Miss England
than three years. Olivia, meanwhile, is waiting to see a plastic surgeon about the scar on her head.
She said: “I’ve had 18 months of sleepless nights. I’ve been in a bad way with constant anxiety and I’ve suffered from self-esteem problems. It’s been awful. All I could think was, ‘Why me?’ I just went over it again and again.
“I’m pleased that Gold was found guilty. It’s a real sense of relief, like a burden’s been lifted. But I’ve still got a lot to go through and deal with. Getting the scar covered
China Gold at court
could cost £5,000.” Despite her trauma, Olivia, who has a 19-year-old sister Gracie, intends to apply for Miss England this year and has pledged to raise funds for a bullying charity.
She said: “I want this to be a clean slate, a fresh start. I want to move on with my life.”
During the trial the jury was told Olivia’s mother Julie, 47, had pleaded guilty to assault after rushing to the pub on the night of the incident and punching Gold in the face.
Yesterday a CPS spokesman said it had yet to make a decision following the judge’s observations about the charge against Olivia.
The case could be dismissed when she appears at court on March 27 – the day her mum is due for sentencing.