A WOMAN who launched a jealous attack on another woman in a crowded bar narrowly escaped an immediate prison sentence today (Friday November 7).

But Justine Miskell was told any repeat of her actions, which left her stunned victim with a deep blood-stained gash above her left eye, would almost certainly land her behind bars.

It followed her conviction for assault causing actual bodily after a two-day trial at Durham Crown Court last month.

Miskell, 26, of James Street, Kip Hill, Stanley, denied the charge, claiming she only acted in self-defence.

The court heard the victim, who was with friends on a 21st birthday celebration, had just left the bar after being served with drinks at Jimmy Allen’s, on Elvet Bridge, Durham, on Saturday November 9 last year.

While at the front of the queue she had agreed to buy a couple of drinks for a male companion of Miskell, who vaguely knew the victim of the subsequent attack through a former work colleague.

He paid for the drinks and returned to Miskell, who was said to shower him with kisses, which the court heard others in the victim’s party believed to be a sign of, “marking her territory”.

Martin Towers, prosecuting, said the attack followed “out of the blue” with Miskell grabbing the other woman and launching blows at her before they were separated by bar staff and other drinkers.

While her victim was taken to hospital for treatment, including five stitches to the main wound, Miskell left the premises, but was later arrested elsewhere in the city centre, minus her shoes and with a bloodstained dress.

She claimed she lashed out in a defensive gesture after her hair was grabbed.

Following the jury’s unanimous guilty verdict, the case was adjourned to allow preparation of background probation reports.

Her barrister, Tony Davis, told today’s (Friday November 7) sentencing hearing that as she remains, “in denial”, there was little he could say about the incident, other than that it was out of character.

“The small chink she concedes is that it was a silly drunken brawl, but that is as far as she is going to go.

“She’s generally a decent woman who looks after her two children and leads a law-abiding life,” he said.

Imposing a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, Recorder Jeremy Hill-Baker told her: “I take the view this does cross the custody threshold, but I also believe there is sufficient room here to draw back from making it an immediate sentence.

“I accept it was wholly out-of-character, but behaviour of that kind must not be repeated.”

Miskell was also ordered to pay her victim £250 compensation.