Hotelier hurt by flying toast rack (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Hotelier hurt by flying toast rack

A FORMER drug addict who nearly blinded a hotel boss in an unprovoked attack has been jailed for 14 months.

Lisa Porter lashed out at Stephen Choo at the breakfast table hurling a toast rack into his face, smashing his spectacles and sending fragments of glass into his eyes.

The 33-year-old, who has a history of violent offending as well as theft, had lashed out because she was being refused breakfast after the TV in her room had gone missing.

Robin Shellard, prosecuting, told Swindon crown court how Porter had gone to the Swandown Hotel on Victoria Road with two men on the night of January 26 and paid for a room with cash.

Shortly after 6am the following morning Mr Choo was woken by the doorbell. He went downstairs after hearing a noise in the hallway and spotted one of the men Porter was with leaving with some items.

When Porter came downstairs later he asked her about the missing TV. He wanted her room key and details about her friends before he would serve her breakfast.

"She said she had paid for her room and wanted some breakfast," he said.

"Mr Choo turned, and was some three to four feet away, when he felt a sharp pain to his left eye. He put his hand up to his eye, took it away and found blood on his hand."

She insisted that she had not meant to hit Mr Choo or cause an injury and it had all been an accident. Porter, of Cannon Street, Old Town, pleaded guilty to wounding and also to stealing cosmetics worth £53 from Boots, where she is banned, a few days earlier.

Rob Ross, defending, said that despite her poor record his client had changed recently and was on a prescription to keep her off drugs.

Jailing her, Recorder Christopher Frazer said: "In your anger and frustration you launched an unprovoked attack on this hotelier as he went about his business."

Mr Choo said last night the incident had been very upsetting for his family and Porter's family. His eyesight is back to normal and he has a scar.

Gareth Bethell