Wedding guest plus one, 28, who drunkenly attacked woman with a glass is spared jail so she can still go on HOLIDAY

Daily Mail​

02-06-2025

A mother who drunkenly attacked a woman with a glass at a wedding reception has been spared jail and a curfew leaving her free to go on holiday.
Jayden O'Neill, 28, left victim Olivia Cole with a facial injury and a scar to her arm after violence broke out at the Winter Barns venue near Canterbury.
O'Neill was a plus one for a wedding reception and attacked Ms Cole, whose boyfriend Matthew Wilson was the brother of the bride.
Another guest Graham Rhodes, who stepped in to try and break up the fight also had a glass hurled at him by O'Neill, leaving him with a cut to the head.
At Canterbury Crown Court, she was spared jail, with a judge saying it would have a 'harmful impact' on her son and daughter.
O'Neill also avoided being tagged on a curfew in favour of unpaid work, meaning she can still go on a 'long booked holiday'.
The attack was caught on CCTV cameras, showing O'Neill attacking the victims on the dancefloor in front of a crowd of guests including children.
Ms Cole was taken to hospital for treatment to a cut to her upper lip and a deep wound on her forearm. She was told she may be permanently scarred.
CCTV captured the violent outburst which took place on the dancefloor in front of several people, including children, at just before 11pm on August 9 last year.
O'Neill, a part-time cleaner, admitted charges of unlawful wounding and common assault.
Prosecutor Jodie-Jane Hitchcock said she had been at the venue with her boyfriend when 'some concerns were raised' about her behaviour.
However, Ms Hitchcock said that, having become aware of these concerns, the couple appeared to 'take umbrage' that no one had spoken to them directly.
'At that point, Ms O'Neill went up to Mr Wilson and Ms Cole and said 'I'm leaving now',' the prosecutor said.
''If you have problems with me, say it to my face. I hope you never have children'.'
The court heard that it was assumed O'Neill had left the venue.
However, CCTV later showed her walking towards the DJ booth, close to where Ms Cole and Mr Wilson were standing.
Describing the footage, Ms Hitchcock added: 'As she approaches, the defendant appears to have a glass in her right hand.
'She goes over to Ms Cole and gets in her face. Mr Wilson steps in between them and pushes the defendant away, at which point she pushes him back.
'Ms Cole intervenes and appears to have her arm outstretched pushing the defendant away, whereupon the defendant launched the glass she had in her right hand in the direction of her head and face.
'The glass clearly shattered, which caused the wound.
'The defendant was then punched by Mr Wilson, and the two of them ended up in a scuffle.'
As O'Neill and Mr Wilson tussled, the court heard how Mr Rhodes, who had been sitting at a nearby table, tried to intervene by pulling them apart.
However, as he did so, O'Neill threw a second glass containing liquid in his direction, hitting him on the top of his head.
O'Neill was later also charged with the intentional strangulation of Mr Wilson, though no details of this were given in court, with the charge being left to lie on file.
Faye Rolfe, defending, explained that although the mum accepted her actions towards Ms Cole and Mr Rhodes that night 'were entirely of her own doing', aggression from others had 'contributed' to the incident and continued in the aftermath.
Describing Mr Wilson's initial reaction to O'Neill, Ms Rolfe said: 'He came towards her, they were essentially forehead to forehead in an aggressive manner and, after her actions with the glass to Ms Cole, she (O'Neill) was set upon on the dancefloor by a large number of people and received a chipped tooth and cut lip.
'It then continued outside where she was attacked by grown men, dragged around by her hair, and kicked and punched in retaliation.'
Ms Rolfe told the court that O'Neill felt 'deep regret' for her 'one-off, extreme actions'.
Highlighting O'Neill's remorse, her responsibility as sole carer for her children and how she was held in 'high regard' by others, Ms Rolfe added: 'This was out of character and it is merciful that drink is not an ongoing problem with her.
'This is not something she does regularly. She was acting (that night) in a way which was very different from the woman she is the rest of the time.'
Ms Rolfe said O'Neill, who suffers from anxiety and depression, would be better able to manage unpaid work rather than a curfew, explaining that her client has 'a long-booked holiday due to start next week'.
She also urged that her client, whose income totals £2,500 a month, be spared having to pay compensation to her victims as it would impact her young family.
However, after remarking that 'immediate custody would impact the children more', District Judge Goldspring decided appropriate punishment could be met by a 20-month jail term suspended for two years, with 40 RAR days and 120 hours of unpaid work.
He also ordered O'Neill to pay £500 compensation to Ms Cole and £100 to Mr Rhodes, plus a £400 contribution to prosecution costs.
Passing sentence, the judge said it was necessary to reflect on the impact her behaviour had on the wedding itself.
'You ruined [the wedding],' District Judge Goldspring told O'Neill.
'[The couple] will never be able to get that day back. Nor will you. But you ruined what would otherwise be the greatest day of their lives.
'Let me be clear: If it wasn't for the harm caused to children by having their mother taken away from them for a substantial period, your actions that evening merit immediate custody. Drink is no excuse.'
O'Neill was ordered to pay the financial penalties imposed at a rate of £100 a month.