Louth woman pleads guilty to 'glassing' brother's girlfriend
A Louth woman who smashed a glass into her brother’s girlfriend’s face in a disco has been given a two years suspended sentence by Judge Michael White at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Lisa Boland (aged 23) of Limetree Avenue, Termon Abbey, Drogheda pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Ms Karen Byrne, who was 18 years old at the time, in Club M, in Dublin city centre, on November 7, 2004.
Boland brought €4,500 as compensation for her victim. The court was told it was the maximum the family could raise and that she was very remorseful..
Judge White said the court would have to accept the €4,500 she had brought to court but that it was less than the victim should get for the very severe injuries she suffered.
"In this society to go a hit a glass in someone’s face, let alone your brother’s girlfriend, beggars belief," he said. "This girl was only 18 years of age, out enjoying herself with your brother and without provocation you smash a glass in her face, scarring her for life."
Garda Rebecca Devaney said Boland fractured Ms Byrne’s nose with the glass after calling her a slut and telling her to get away from her brother.
Garda Devaney told Mr Paul Carroll BL, prosecuting, that Ms Byrne suffered a fracture to her nose and a wound under her left eye and on her nose. She had pieces of glass removed from an open wound on the bridge of her nose, leaving a permanent scar, and later needed her nose to be broken again and realigned.
Garda Devaney said Ms Byrne did not (NOT) return to work for a number of days following the attack because she was too self-conscious to be seen by the public. She suffered from nervousness when she went out and found it uncomfortable to be around her boyfriend’s family.
Garda Devaney agreed with Ms Ann Rowland BL, defending, that Boland had no previous convictions and had been attending as an in-patient with a psychiatric hospital for depression following the death of two of her brothers within six months of each other.
She accepted that it was not a premeditated crime but rather "spur of the moment" and that Boland "was deeply regretful of what happened".
Ms Rowland told Judge White that Ms Byrne has been very kind to Boland’s four-year-old daughter and that although Boland used to go upstairs when the victim came to visit the family home they could now stay in the same room together.
