Donna Stalker, 34, was out on a hen party in a pub when she lost her temper and slammed a glass into a man’s face, causing serious injuries, after the man tapped her with an inflatable golf club
A woman celebrating at a hen party attacked a man with a glass after he playfully tapped her with an inflatable golf club.
NHS worker Donna Stalker was enjoying drinks at a Tyneside pub with her group when a lighthearted encounter escalated into violence, leaving her victim with serious injuries.
The man had been socialising with mates at the Head of Steam pub in Tynemouth on Saturday, July 13 in 2024, when they were approached by the hen party group.
Newcastle Crown Court was told there had been some “light-hearted interaction” involving inflatable items between the two groups.
CCTV footage shown to the court captured the victim gently and repeatedly tapping Stalker on the back and head with an inflatable golf club, reports Chronicle Live.
Prosecutor Mairi Clancy said: “Without warning, the defendant turned and struck the victim in the face with a glass, causing it to shatter on impact.”
The man sustained “significant” injuries, including a deep gash to his chin requiring ten stitches, plus wounds to his nose that needed gluing and his lip, which required referral to the plastic surgery department.
In his victim impact statement, given shortly after the assault, the man described how the attack had severely affected both his physical and mental wellbeing.
He said: “I’m an extremely active, sporty person and take part in boxing and football but I’m no longer able to do that until my injuries have healed, which could take six months.
“I’m not able to box any time soon in case my scars split open. I had to withdraw from a fight which more than 30 people bought tickets for. Sport is my livelihood and not being able to take part has been extremely upsetting.”
He went on to say he has lost confidence and stated: “I don’t like how I look at the minute. I constantly have people asking what happened to my face. I don’t know if it will ever heal.”
He revealed he no longer feels secure in venues with glasses and crowds, and fears he could have been left blind or dead if the glass had hit his eyes or neck.
He continued: “I didn’t do anything to deserve having a glass smashed across my face.
“If she didn’t like something, she could’ve asked me to stop doing it and I would have. I can’t believe someone would do something like this and not realise the consequences it could have to my life.”
Stalker, 34, from Harrier Court, Fife, Dunfermline, Scotland, who claimed she didn’t grasp the severity of the man’s injuries, departed the pub afterwards but subsequently contacted police after becoming aware of a social media appeal regarding the assault. She informed officers she only meant to throw a drink over him, but prosecutors did not accept this.
The 34-year-old, who has no prior convictions, admitted unlawful wounding. She received a 10-month sentence suspended for 18 months with 150 hours unpaid work and must pay the victim £1,000 compensation.
Judge Tom Moran addressed her: “You were at a hen party in this area about 18 months ago in a local bar when you were clearly irritated by what was only ever intended to be playful behaviour by the victim. He had an inflatable golfclub and was tapping it harmlessly on your back and head a number of times.
“That obviously irritated you and rather than dealing with it in a different way you then turned and lashed out when you still had the glass in your hand.
“I sentence you on the basis you didn’t intend to cause an injury anything remotely like this and you didn’t realise, at the time, you had done that. This case just goes to show the dangers of committing any violence involving a glass.”
Brian Hegarty, defending, revealed it was only after surrendering herself to police that she discovered the severity of the injuries she had inflicted. He continued: “Since then, these proceedings have weighed heavily upon her.
“She found it difficult to come to terms with the fact she caused the level of injury she had. Her employment revolves around helping others, not harming others.”
Mr Hegarty noted that Stalker has limited memory of the incident but confirmed: “She accepts she lashed out in temper.”
He stated that only the first strike caused the damage, after which she “half pushed towards him”. He further stated: “She now feels a deep sense of shame as a consequence of her actions on that day.”
The court was informed that Stalker shares care for her three children, has experienced some mental health issues and works part-time in the NHS.
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