Woman jailed for attacking friend with smashed gin glass

A woman who attacked her friend with a smashed gin glass has been jailed for almost five years.

Collette Hanchard, 55, had been enjoying a summer's night in Frances McKay's garden in Hamilton when she carried out the unprovoked attack.

The High Court in Glasgow heard Hanchard later messaged McKay, 57, stating she had a cut finger and could not remember what happened.

Judge Alistair Watson jailed Hanchard for four years and 11 months following an earlier guilty plea to an aggravated assault charge.

He told Hanchard: "The woman has been left with extensive and visible scarring.

"The victim impact statement sets out in detail the physical injury suffered.

"It also speaks of the life changing effect the attack has had on her.

"The psychological harm is massive."

Hanchard was described as being in "good spirits" when she went to McKay's home on 14 June 2024.

The women had been chatting and listening to music in the back garden of the property.

About midnight Hanchard told McKay she had called a taxi but was going to visit the toilet before she left.

She was holding a green-stemmed gin glass at the time.

The court was told that McKay heard glass smashing before Hanchard returned and took a large step towards her.

Prosecutor David Fisken said McKay felt pain to the left side of her face and neck, covered her face with her hands and crouched over.

Hanchard then threw her right hand towards McKay's face.

McKay yelled on her husband, who rushed downstairs, grabbed a towel to help his wife and shouted on Hanchard to leave the home.

But the court heard instead she walked back into the outhouse in the garden "as if nothing had happened".

McKay's husband grabbed Hanchard and pulled her onto the street, where she soon left in a taxi.

The victim was taken to hospital with bad injuries to her cheek, ear, lip and neck.

Fisken said: "Frances has been left with extensive permanent scarring and a loss of feeling down the left side of her neck as well as behind the ear."

The court heard Hanchard messaged McKay on Facebook after the attack and also left voicemails.

In one text she claimed: "Hi Frances - what happened last night. I can't remember a thing.

"Cut finger, blood everywhere. I'm really sorry if I've done something cause your a really good friend xxx".

She said in a voicemail just hours after the crime that she had woke up with "blood everywhere" adding: "Can you help me please?"

Hanchard later told police she had no memory of the time the attack happened but could recall being asked to leave by McKay's husband.

She pled guilty to a charge of assaulting her friend to her severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment as well as danger of her life.

Rhonda Anderson, defending, said: "The woman before the court is wholly disgusted by her actions.

"She is bereft about what she has done and recognises that she has to be punished."

Judge Watson cut the jail term from six-and-a-half years due to the guilty plea.