Saturday, June 4, 2011

Broken bottle attack left love rival scarred for life

A woman has been left permanently disfigured after a love rival rammed a broken wine bottle into her face and arm.

Natalie Costello was jailed for five years and four months yesterday for the attack, which the victim said had ruined her life.

Thirty-year-old mother-of-two Costello admitted wounding the victim with intent, on the evening of January 13.

Julia King, prosecuting, said Costello was the girlfriend of a man who lived at Vestry House, in Humberstone Gate, Leicester.

She went to his home and encountered his former girlfriend outside the flat and the pair became embroiled in a heated argument.

Ms King said that Costello's boyfriend arrived soon afterwards and both women then began shouting at him, accusing him of being unfaithful.

The man then went alone into his flat and Costello, of Latimer Street, West End, Leicester, appeared to calm down.

Ms King said: "But before long she removed from a carrier bag a wine bottle.

"She smashed it on nearby railings and attacked the complainant with it.

"She slashed her face with the broken bottle, causing injuries including a deep cut below her eye, right across her face to the top of her lips.

"The defendant also tried to stab her stomach but she deflected it by putting her arm out, sustaining a deep wound."

The victim needed stitches to her face and arm. She is on painkillers and has nightmares about what happened.

She also faces having plastic surgery this year but will still be permanently scarred.

Ms King said: "She's not been able to leave the house alone since this.

"She feels everyone is staring at her and doesn't want to walk her 10-year-old son to school because his friends ask him about it.

"She's having counselling, has lost her confidence and is on anti-depressants.

"She says it's ruined her life."

In a victim impact statement, she said: "I'm no angel, but I've done nothing to deserve the scars."

Leicester Crown Court heard that Costello had previous convictions for assaulting police, damage, threatening behaviour and possessing an offensive weapon.

Justine Robinson, mitigating, said both women were misled by the boyfriend.

She said: "Miss Costello's relationship with him wasn't what she thought it was and he was having a number of relationships.

"The defendant is incredibly apologetic.

"There had been incidents and difficulties between the three of them for some time.

"She's had an alcohol addiction for 11 years."

When sober, she is mild-mannered and knows she has to conquer her alcoholism, said Ms Robinson.

Sentencing, Judge Mark Rogers said: "With great severity you targeted the face and internal organs of this woman.

"It's a relief you didn't penetrate her stomach.

"Her facial scarring will be improved by medical assistance but will never completely go away."

The judge said that on her release from jail she would be on an extended licence period of five years.



Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503348/s/15a60b7a/l/0L0Sthisisleicestershire0O0Cnews0CBroken0Ebottle0Eattack0Eleft0Elove0Erival0Escarred0Elife0Carticle0E36272590Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

England cricket team Eric Pickles Cultural trips Sunderland Stoke City Mexico

No comments:

Post a Comment