Her partner had also punched him in the eye
Sarah Cooper appeared at Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)
A drunken woman viciously smashed a pint glass into a defenceless man’s neck in a nasty and completely unprovoked attack – leaving him with a serious wound that “nearly killed” him. Sarah Cooper was “really angry” after a heated argument between them in the early hours of the morning and she “suddenly lashed out” with the glass after earlier pouring cider over the victim, Hull Crown Court heard.
Cooper, 23, of Stroud Crescent East, Bransholme, Hull, admitted wounding the man on October 30, 2023. She denied an offence of wounding with intent and she was originally due to face a trial.
Austin Newman, prosecuting, said that the man and his partner returned home in the early hours of the morning to a house in Kilnsea Grove, east Hull, after a weekend trip away. Cooper and her boyfriend were also there. They had all been drinking.
An argument flared between the man and Cooper and her boyfriend. The argument concerned the man’s refusal to let them use his car because he believed that they were “sponging off people and not paying their way”.
Cooper was holding a litre bottle of cider and she poured that over the man. He tried to throw the contents of a glass that he was holding towards her – but there was no liquid left in it.
Cooper’s boyfriend stood up and punched the man in his left eye. The victim was sitting on a sofa and he swore but he did not retaliate any further.
He went into the kitchen but, when he returned to the living room, he was confronted by Cooper and her boyfriend. “She appeared to be really angry,” said Mr Newman.
“She was holding a pint glass and, in an unprovoked attack, she suddenly lashed out with the pint glass, swiping it aggressively across his neck.” It was not clear whether the pint glass was already broken or whether it shattered on hitting his neck.
It caused a deep wound to the victim’s neck and heavy loss of blood. “He was not immediately aware that he had been wounded,” said Mr Newman.
“He described feeling a sensation of numbness. He saw that his clothing was covered in blood. There was an abrupt end to the dispute.
“Arrangements were made for him to be taken to hospital. He was losing consciousness on the way. On arrival and following assessment of his injuries, he was admitted for emergency surgery to close the wound and remove a piece of glass.”
The man suffered a 5cm wound to the left side of his neck, extending from just below his ear. He was bleeding from a small cut to an artery.
“He has been left with a degree of scarring,” said Mr Newman. Cooper was arrested. She denied having a glass in her hand and claimed that the victim injured himself.
Her boyfriend had been cautioned for punching the man, the court heard. The victim later said: “The assault nearly killed me. I have to go back to the house where it happened.” He feared that Cooper and her boyfriend could attack him again.
Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that there had not been any further contact between those involved since the incident. “If there was going to be any trouble, it would have happened by now,” said Miss Scott.
Cooper agreed in court that she had, at the time, been “a bit of a drinker” and she realised that being drunk was not an excuse for her behaviour. She had no previous convictions.
Cooper was given a 10-month suspended prison sentence and 15 days’ rehabilitation.
Did you know you can make Hull Live a preferred source of Hull news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here’s more information about what this means and how to do it – you can also do it straight away by clicking here.