Woman avoids jail after ‘nasty assault’

An “unprovoked” attack outside a Twerton pub has landed a woman in Bath Magistrates’ Court.

Katie Wright, of Monksdale Road, Bath, is said to have approached her victim from behind outside the Old Crown Inn in High Street, Twerton, before punching her twice in the face.

Wright, 57, stared ahead for most of the hearing after pleading guilty to the assault.

When she was told by magistrates they could sentence her to prison, she audibly gasped.

But magistrates instead issued a community order for the “nasty assault.”

The court heard how before the attack on August 5, 2019, Wright was having a disagreement with the victim inside the Old Crown Inn. The complainant reportedly knocked the defendant’s pint over.

When the victim left, Wright ran up behind her. As she turned, Wright hit her twice in the face, the court heard. She fell over and her head hit the curb.

A probation officer described how the violence was related to Wright’s alcohol issues. The court heard how she is unemployed due to ill health. She had a heart attack three years ago and suffers from angina, breathing problems and mental health issues.

Her defence pointed to Wright’s “genuine distress and remorse to be in this position”.

Katie Wright, the chairman, said: “This is a nasty assault. It was high culpability because it was unprovoked.”

Magistrates gave her a 12-month community order with 20 court-mandated rehabilitation days. She was told to pay a £50 fine, £100 in compensation, a £90 victim surcharge fee and £85 in costs, totalling £325.