A woman who slashed another woman with a box cutter during a fight, leaving her scarred for life, has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Joy Robinson, 53, was involved in an altercation with Linda Forde outside the Young Men's Social Club in Angle Street, Pembroke, on November 13 last year. According to the prosecution, Robinson inflicted a 10-cm laceration to Ms Forde's neck, a 20-cm cut to her thigh and a 5-cm cut to her forearm. Crown counsel Nicole Smith told Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo yesterday: "This was a very serious offence of wounding which, as you are aware, has left the victim scarred for life both physically and emotionally."

The cut to the victim's neck, said Ms Smith, was close to the jugular vein and the leg injury left a severe raised scar about which Ms Forde is self-conscious.

Robinson of Middletown Drive, Pembroke, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and possession of the box cutter as an offensive weapon. She has no previous convictions. Ms Smith said in the view of the Crown nothing short of a prison sentence was warranted, with the maximum term for unlawful wounding being three years and two years for possession of an offensive weapon.

Ms Forde, aged 50 at the time of the incident, was not present at the court hearing. Ms Smith explained she gets upset at the sight of Robinson and has been prescribed sleeping pills to calm her after suffering nightmares due to the attack.

Defence lawyer Peter Farge said Ms Forde, a cook at Pembroke Rest Home, admitted pushing Robinson down some stairs during the fight and his client was angry about this as well as being "pretty inebriated". He handed the Magistrate references from Robinson's employer, Butterfield and Vallis, where she has worked as a sales merchandiser since 1994, describing her as a reliable worker. Mr. Farge also told the Magistrate his client has an alcohol problem, and asked for a community-based punishment. Robinson apologised to the court for her actions.

Handing the defendant a six-month suspended sentence, Mr. Tokunbo told her: "This was an offence involving violence and involving a weapon. Offences of violence are seriously frowned upon by this community, especially because there's a growing problem right now. Sentences have to reflect society's disapproval of offences of violence, and that's one of the reasons sentences have been increased for these offences."

He said that taking into account the defendant's guilty plea, the seriousness of the offence, and the long-term emotional difficulties created for Ms Forde, the appropriate sentence was one of six months imprisonment. However, said Mr. Tokunbo, this will be suspended for 18 months, meaning Robinson will not serve jail time unless she gets into further trouble during that period. In addition, he made an 18-month probation order compelling her to undergo counselling for anger management and substance abuse, complete 150 hours of community service and refrain from the use of alcohol and other illegal substances.