Woman who struck another woman with glass in Derry pub sentenced

Kayleigh Coyle (25) of Summer Meadows in Derry admitted a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on October 1, 2022.

She also admitted a charge of being disorderly in the Thirsty Goat on the same date.

The court was told that police were called to a report of a female being assaulted in the Thirsty Goat.

When they arrived they found the victim being assisted by staff.

They were told she had been assaulted by the defendant using a glass.

CCTV was examined and the defendant could be seen with a glass in her hand and then striking the other female. The victim was treated for lacerations and received paper stitches to her forehead.

She told police she had told Coyle to stop shouting and was then struck with a glass.

At interview, Coyle claimed she had acted in self-defence and said it was a plastic glass but staff told police they did not use plastic glasses.

Defence barrister Michael Donaghey said this was ‘a very serious offence’.

He said his client accepted she should not have tried to settle a dispute by violent means.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that to attack another person with a glass was ‘unforgivable’ and ‘extremely dangerous’.

He said he would make an exception in this case because Coyle had a child.

Coyle was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for three years, and an enhanced combination order of 18 months probation and 100 hours community service.