A DRUNK mum who glassed a fellow Carlisle pub reveller, leaving him blind in one eye, has been jailed for seven years.
Naomi Ballantyne – the mother of two young children – was celebrating her 31st birthday on a city night out with husband Darren, on September 7 last year, when trouble flared at the Cumberland Inn on Botchergate.
Initially Darren Ballantyne was an innocent bystander who was punched by Jack Youngson during an outdoor smoking area altercation. That acted as the “trigger” for more serious violence which erupted inside the pub minutes later. Darren Ballantyne, 39, punched Mr Youngson to the back of his head near a busy bar. As he reached out again, Mr Youngson responded in self-defence. That prompted Naomi Ballantyne – who had earlier grabbed Mr Youngson’s shoulder – to strike him in the face with a shot glass which smashed, causing “catastrophic and life-changing injuries”, Carlisle Crown Court heard.
Mr Youngson suffered a cut to his left eye that was “bleeding and leaking jelly”. He underwent surgery but was left blind in that eye. Left “upset and traumatised”, he said in a statement: “I am very conscious about how it looks. I don’t like to look in the mirror.” He added: “I feel like my whole life has changed because of this one incident on this night out.”
Beauty therapist Naomi Ballantyne, now 32, had downed wine, Jäger bombs and vodka on the night before lashing out having learned her husband had been attacked. In an interview, she told police: “Obviously I have drunk more than I should have. It wasn’t my intention to hurt or harm.”
She admitted wounding but denied the more serious charge of wounding with intent, telling a trial jury her intention when approaching Mr Youngson a been to “tell the boy off”. However, she was convicted, unanimously, by a jury.
The couple, of Stainton Gardens, Carlisle, were sentenced today (FRI) by Judge James Adkin, who gave Naomi Ballantyne a lengthy prison sentence. Her self-employed builder husband, who admitted affray, had a nine-month jail term suspended for two years. He must also complete unpaid work and rehabilitation.
Detective Constable Kerry Gibson, who investigated the case, said: “This incident perfectly demonstrates the potentially life-changing consequences of drink-fuelled violence.
“Cumbria Police and the courts will not tolerate alcohol-related violence.
“If you are going out drinking we ask you to be wary of the effects it might have on you.
“And if you find yourself in a confrontation or trouble, we would urge you to simply walk away and get safely away from any volatile situation.”
