Shropshire pub worker punched by drunk woman

Assailant Charlotte Davies later told police that she couldn't remember any of the events that took place at the Royal Victoria Hotel in Newport on the evening of August 8 as she had been drinking since 2pm.

And when Davies was arrested she told officers that her knuckles were red because she had been gardening.

Davies, of Old Toll Gate, St Georges, Telford, yesterday pleaded guilty to assault during a hearing at the town's magistrates court.

Ms Abigail Hall, prosecuting, said there was a confrontation between bar staff and Davies at around 8.45pm and she was asked to leave the premises.

"There was an argument and a female employee of the pub was punched twice in the face by Davies, suffering a bruised cheek and a split lip," she added.

"The defendant then left the hotel and was arrested shortly after, admitting to police that she had been drinking since 2pm.

"She said she was so drunk that she claimed she couldn't remember any of the events that took place at the Royal Victoria Hotel."

Ms Hall added: "The police noticed that Davies had red knuckles and she said that was due to having done some gardening.

"The victim of the assault was left shaken and shocked by the attack.

"She already suffers from depression and had to take a week off work, for which she lost money as she didn't receive sick pay."

Davies, 33, was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £340 compensation to the victim to cover loss of earnings and injury.

She was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85, a victim surcharge of £15 and court costs of £150.

Jenni Hancocks, speaking for Davies, said that her client accepted she flailed her arms around rather than delivered punches to the victim.

She said: "My client had gone to the hotel with a friend and that friend became involved in an argument.

"Davies was trying to defuse the argument and became involved in a melee, rather than being the cause of it," Ms Hancocks told the court.

A spokesman for the Royal Victoria Hotel, which is run by brewery giant Marston's, said after the hearing that the only reason the victim of the assault did not receive sick pay was because she had not worked there long enough to be entitled to it.