SCARED TO GO ON A NIGHT OUT!
After an unprovoked pub attack that left her with a £5,000 bill to repair the teeth that she had knocked out, 21-year-old Jade Stanway says that she’s now...
A YOUNG woman has told how she needs thousands of pounds of dental work after a stranger punched her in the face during a night out.
Jade Stanway was enjoying a drink in The Auctioneer, in Hanley, when mum-of-three Kelly Rodgers, below, took a swing at her in an unprovoked assault.
Immediately, the 21-yearold could taste blood and discovered her two front teeth had been knocked out.
She has since had to endure 16 dentist appointments in six months for root canal treatment, a brace and implants.
And despite being awarded £1,200 compensation, the money only covers a fraction of the cost of the £5,000-plus needed to repair her smile.
Jade, from Stoke-on-trent, says she only stepped in to ‘keep the peace’ following a confrontation, and is now scared to go on nights out and describes her social life as ‘nonexistent’.
Jade said: “I had been in the pub for an hour, under very little influence of alcohol. We were leaving the pub.
“I didn’t start kicking off, far from that. I’m not loud or gobby. I was trying to calm a situation.
“This has cost me almost £5,000 and my social life which is now nonexistent.
“I have a new treatment plan which is costing £3,850, and previous to this I have spent around £800 to £1,000 which hasn’t been successful due to the damage and impact.
“At the time this happened I was 20-years-old. What 20-year-old has a spare five grand in their back pocket?
“What about in the next 10 years when my implant needs replacing and then the following 10 years? That hasn’t been taken into account.
“I’ve also had to try to keep a job down despite having to go the dentist 16 times in six months.”
Jade added: “People justify this sort of behaviour saying ‘no-one knows what she has gone through’ but you wouldn’t believe what I’ve had to go through because of her actions that night.
“Imagine if this happened to your or one of your family members, it wouldn’t be a laughing matter.” Stoke-on-trent Crown Court heard Rodgers became violent after taking exception to how the victim’s partner had been looking at her boyfriend at about midnight on July 14 last year.
Following the attack, door staff escorted the 38-year-old from the premises.
The Sentinel reported yesterday how Rodgers, of Grove Street, Knutton, was then sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, this week after pleading guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm.
As part of the suspended sentence, Rodgers must complete a rehabilitation activity requirement for 20 days. She must also pay £1,200 compensation.
Judge Sally Hancox said: “You punched a complete stranger in the face when you had no reason to do so.
“You now know the consequences of that for a 21-year-old are far reaching and lengthy, physically in terms of appearance and psychologically in terms of getting out and having a social life. It has just been devastating for her.
“All because you thought someone was looking at your partner the wrong way.
“Nothing I can say, no punishment I can give, is going to come close to making up to the victim for what happened to her.”