Woman needed stitches after being hit by glass in Cookstown pub

A COOKSTOWN woman has been spared jail time after throwing a glass at a former school friend in a local pub on St Patrick’s Day, a court has heard.

At Dungannon Crown Court on Friday, 26-year-old Ellen Fitzpatrick of Jubilee Park, Cookstown, was ordered to pay compensation for the victim’s injuries.

The offence relates to March 17, 2024, when Fitzpatrick was out celebrating the holiday.

In the early hours of March 18, the Cookstown woman threw a glass across the ‘busy public bar’, landing on the forehead of a ‘former school friend’.

The victim had to go to hospital following the assault, where she received four stitches to her eyebrow.

Later that day Fitzpatrick texted the victim on social media to apologise, stating she ‘didn’t remember’ throwing the glass and had no ‘ill-feelings’ towards the woman.

However the injured party reported Fitzpatrick to the police two days later and Fitzpatrick was then interviewed by police on June 18.

Originally, the defendant was charged with wounding with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, which she objected to. However following legal challenges to the court the charge was lessoned to wounding only.

At the sentencing hearing on Friday, Fitzpatrick’s defence counsel opened the hearing with a request from the defendant to again apologise for her actions on that night.

previous convictions

The court was made aware of the Cookstown woman’s previous convictions, which included two serious assaults and four common assaults.

However His Honour, Judge Brian Sherrard, accepted that those offences occurred on the same date nine years ago and Fitzpatrick has not troubled the court since then, until these offences.

The probation report and Fitzpatrick’s defence counsel outlined to the court the ‘difficulties’ the single mother has faced, including being a ‘pivotal carer’ for her family and her son.

In sentencing, judge Sherrard said that Fitzpatrick deserved an immediate custodial sentence for her ‘appalling behaviour’ on March 18, noting the ‘significant harm’ caused to the victim.

However he took into consideration the ‘significant caring responsibilities’ undertaken by the Cookstown woman.

Fitzpatrick was handed a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for three years, and was ordered to pay £500 in compensation to the injured woman.