A young woman was subjected to a terrifying attack in the bathroom of a pub during which she had her jaw broken by a 17-year-old girl.
Lisa Hanley from Co Roscommon was set upon in the unprovoked late-night assault, during which she was dragged from one end of the bathroom to the other, had clumps of her hair pulled out and was kicked in the stomach.
Elaine Heslin, who is now 20, and with addresses at Kilcavan, Co Offaly, and Dublin, admitted assault causing harm to Ms Hanley in the pub in Roscommon town on December 27th, 2010.
Apologised
In a letter read to Judge Tony Hunt at Roscommon Circuit Criminal Court, the accused woman apologised for her actions.
The court heard Ms Hanley was socialising with her boyfriend and friends in Roscommon on December 26th and shortly before midnight had gone to the Coachman’s Inn on Castle Street.
At about 12.15am she went to the bathroom, but the lock in the cubicle was broken. Someone began knocking on the door and told her to hurry up.
Elaine Heslin, whom she did not know, pushed the door open and caught the side of her head up against the wall of the cubicle.
A witness said she saw Elaine Heslin push Ms Hanley to the ground, pull her hair and drag her from one end of the bathroom to the other.
Fractured jaw
The witness saw her kick Ms Hanley in the stomach and saw blood and clumps of hair on the bathroom floor.
The court heard Ms Hanley suffered a fractured jaw and abrasions in the attack. She was now anxious in places where there were a lot of people, had stopped socialising and was in fear that there would be a repeat whenever she might meet her attacker.
The court was told Elaine Heslin suffered from personality, behavioural and social disorders, but was hoping to get into gainful employment.
She had €500 – a loan from her parents – which she wanted to offer to Ms Hanley.
Noting Ms Heslin’s background and a positive engagement with the Probation Service, Judge Hunt imposed a two-year prison sentence but suspended it for two years.
He placed her under the direction of the Probation Service for 12 months.