A WOMAN and child were cut by flying shards hurled by a Carlisle pub customer who smashed a glass during a late night incident.

Billie Jo Edgar, 27, found herself in a court dock following an incident inside the Linton Holme, Lindisfarne Street, on September 22.

Prosecutor Diane Jackson told a district judge at the city’s magistrates’ court that Edgar and the other woman were both in the pub at around 10pm.

Edgar, the court heard, was chatting with a male about her life. She then became angry with the other woman.

The woman, whose 14-year-old son had come into the pub, said she was unsure why as she was not involved in the conversation. Edgar, however, insisted that a comment was made which prompted her to react.

Mrs Jackson said of Edgar’s response: “She has smashed a pint glass against a table and she has thrown the shards towards them (the woman and child).”

These hit the woman in her face, causing cuts to her nose, forehead and wrist.

“Her son was also hit by the glass,” said Mrs Jackson. These cut his nose and he also sustained a significant cut to his finger.

The woman told of being more concerned for her son — who was upset — and scared to see blood on his face and not initially not know the level of his injury.

Edgar, of Lindisfarne Court, Carlisle, admitted assaulting both the mother and son by beating.

Defence solicitor Lauren Heasley, mitigating, said she was grateful to the author of a probation service pre-sentence report which highlighted Edgar’s complex mental health needs.

“She has reported a period of stability after medication,” said Ms Heasley of the defendant’s recent progress. “She is ready and willing to engage with probation and any additional service they could put her in contact with.”

Of the pub incident, Ms Heasley said: “She is remorseful for these offences, particularly that a child was injured. She does not know either of the victims. This is an isolated incident.”

District judge John Temperley told Edgar she had committed serious offences for which, ordinarily, he would have been considering a prison sentence.

But after carefully reading background information, the judge instead imposed a community order. Edgar must complete a rehabilitation requirement and was banned from consuming alcohol for 90 days. She must also pay £200 compensation to the boy and £100 to his mum.

“In the future you need to learn from this,” he told Edgar. “Whatever triggers there may be, you have to find a way to deal with them without resorting to violence.”