Telford mother used wine glass in brutal attack which left 50p sized hole in victim's head

District Judge Nigel Cadbury said he was surprised to sentence such a serious attack at a magistrates court.

He said Aimee Laura Carless could have blinded her victim had the glass struck in a slightly different place.

Carless, aged 25, of Hurleybrook Way, Leegomery, Telford, had pleaded guilty on August 10 to one charge of causing grievous bodily harm. The court was told the victim was left with a hole where the stem of the broken wine glass had gouged into his head.

Mrs Abigail Hall prosecuting, said Carless had been under a custody arrangement where she would meet her children at weekends in the presence of her mother and her mother's partner.

Carless had gone to her mother's house on April 3 but had left her children and disappeared from the house.

A row broke out between the defendant and her mother's partner when she returned and she called the police, the court was told.

Carless then walked into the kitchen and picked up a wine glass from the side, and used it to strike her mother's partner. "The defendant then grabbed at his throat, squeezing and digging her nails in," said Mrs Hall.

She continued to attack him using the stem of the glass, but stopped at the sight of blood pouring down the victim's face, said Mrs Hall.

Carless left but was picked up by police who were responding to the call she had made.

Carless was sentenced yesterday to six months in prison suspended for two years, along with 30 days of rehabilitation activities and a 12-week curfew from 8pm to 7pm.

She was also ordered to pay £100 compensation and £165 court costs.

Judge Cadbury added: "There's some suggestion of provocation which does go to some extent to mitigate the seriousness of this offence."

Mr Mike Surzyn, for Carless said she had been "shocked by her behaviour".