A Chippenham mother was sentenced to a 12 month court order and fined for attacking another woman outside a pub. 

Katherine Applegate, 31, of Southmead pleaded not guilty to assaulting 43-year-old Marnie Wilmot outside a Chippenham pub on November 20 but did admit that she pushed the victim and used unreasonable force in doing so.

Prosecution Michelle Hewitt said: “The defendant assaulted a female victim by pulling her hair and pushing her to the ground. The victim said she had her head banged on the ground by the defendant and had suffered a number of injuries including bruising and swelling to the face.

“She also had a cut on her nose which was bled quite badly and some swelling on her foot which took some weeks to fully recover.

Mrs Hewitt added: “The victim said on February 17 that since the assault on her she used to be an outgoing person but she does not want to go out anymore.

“She said she is lucky to have a husband and a good family that she can talk to about it. It has also left her with a permanent cold as the attack left her nose dislodged.”

The court heard that Mrs Wilmot went to hospital to get her nose x-rayed and how the crown sought compensation of £120 for the injuries sustained.

Probation officer Robert Leifer said: “The defendant at the time had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and had drinking issues.

It was however, not an alcohol-fuelled offence or anything to do with drugs.”

The court heard from the probation service and the defence how Applegate had turned her life around by getting clean, housed and enrolling herself on a college course to learn hairdressing.

Chairman of the bench, Mr Gilbert said: “We have listened to both sides and we are going to go with the probation services recommendation and award a 12 month community order.

“You will carry out 20 days of work with the probation service and at their discretion you will carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

“If you fail to make contact with them you will be brought back here in all manners of trouble which are not worth it. Now try to look at life positively and go forward from here.”

Applegate was also ordered to pay the victim £100 for the injuries she sustained, a victim surcharge of £60 and £250 of fees which would come directly out of her benefits.