Glassing victim left 'devastated' as his attacker walks free
A drunk woman who smashed a glass into the face of a man has been allowed to walk free from court.
Deborah Raine lashed out at Lee Smith with the half-pint glass and left him needing 15 stitches to a deep cut across his nose.
But she only received a suspended sentence for the drunken pub attack when she appeared at court.
Today Mr Smith slammed the punishment and said he was devastated.
The 33-year-old security fitter told The News: 'I was gobsmacked when I heard she just got a suspended sentence.
'If that had been me who smashed a glass in someone's face I would have been banged up.
'I don't think it's right you can get away with something this serious.'
Raine, 44, had been drinking with Mr Smith at the Eldon Arms in Southsea on November 6 last year when she suddenly lashed out at him.
Just prior to the attack the landlady and Mr Smith had asked Raine to leave as she was so drunk. Raine later told police that she had no recollection of the attack.
Mr Smith, of Portsmouth, has been badly scarred.
He said: 'It's had a huge effect on my life. I'm more wary when I'm out and about now.
'I have a constant reminder of what happened to me that night – when I see friends they ask me straight away "what happened to your nose?". I'll have to live with that every time I look in the mirror. It just feels like I've been totally let down by the system.'
At Portsmouth Crown Court, Raine was spared an immediate prison sentence.
Instead, Recorder Sarah Vaughan Jones imposed a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years.
As part of the sentence she will be supervised by the Probation Service in the community for the next 18 months and will receive treatment for her alcohol problems. Raine was also ordered to pay Mr Smith 150 compensation.
Detective Constable Marcus Mills said the attack was 'unprovoked and brutal'. 'There does not seem to be any reason why Deborah Raine suddenly lashed out at Mr Smith,' he said. 'She had obviously been drinking far too much. Mr Smith's injuries were extensive and he will be left to nurse the scars for a long time.'
DRINKING AFTER MARITAL SPLIT
Deborah Raine had previously enjoyed a successful career as an entertainer.
Her barrister, Stephen Smyth, told the court that Raine gave up her career to care for her seven-year-old child.
He said that she had clearly been drinking too much after the break-up of her relationship with her husband.
Raine broke down in tears in the dock as Mr Smyth mitigated on her behalf.
>> Vote in our latest web poll.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Portsmouth
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
