Mum 'saw red' and broke woman's nose and cheek after Facebook row

A mother 'saw red' during a night out and broke a fellow reveller's nose and cheekbone. Roxsarna Flaherty smiled as she grabbed her victim by her face and began to swing punches at her.

Violence erupted at Gossip in Hanley on June 17, North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard. Prosecutor Shakeel Hussain said the victim had been having a few drinks at the club when she saw Flaherty, who she has known briefly in the past.

He continued: "She came over to her, grabbed her by the face on either side of her mouth and dug her nails into her cheeks. She was smiling as she did this. She did not let go. The woman slapped the defendant in the face to get her to stop this."

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Mr Hussain said Flaherty, 27, had became "increasingly irate" and began to swing punches at the woman's face. He added: "She tried to grab the woman and pull her to the floor. The woman remembers being punched in the face several times. She felt her hair being pulled. She believes she was knocked unconscious."

The court was told the victim had suffered a fractured cheekbone, a fractured nose, facial bruising and swelling, StokeonTrentLive reports. Flaherty, of Victoria Street, Chesterton, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Tacarat Hussain, mitigating, said there had been a degree of provocation as messages had been sent on Facebook by the victim. Mr Hussain said: "She has seen red. She lost her temper. She fully accepts she should not behave in that manner. She expresses her remorse."

Flaherty was given a two-year community order with a 12-month mental health treatment requirement and a rehabilitation activity requirement for 55 days. She was also fined £100 and ordered her to pay £150 compensation and a £114 surcharge.