Two drunk mothers who attacked woman in bar fight avoid prison after claiming their children would ‘suffer’ without them

Two mothers who drunkenly attacked a woman during a night out in Chester have avoided prison after claiming their children would “suffer” if they were jailed.

Ffion Dutton, 26, and Katie Roberts, 29, left Darcy Mossman with a permanent scar following the assault at Bonobo Bar in March.

The victim, 25, from Flint, North Wales, suffered a 3cm cut to her forehead after being punched to the ground and having a wine glass thrown at her during the unprovoked attack.

Chester Crown Court heard how the incident began at Church Bar when Dutton and Mossman threw drinks over each other.

Later at Bonobo Bar, the pair had a confrontation in the toilets where Dutton said she would “do it again” when challenged about the earlier incident.

CCTV footage showed Roberts punching Mossman twice to the side of her face as she left the toilets, knocking her to the ground.

Dutton then approached and threw a glass at Mossman while she was still on the floor.

Both women fled the scene, with Roberts being arrested that night and Dutton three days later.

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In a victim impact statement, Mossman said the scarring had “put a huge dent in my confidence” and left her feeling “more reserved and withdrawn”.

The court heard how Mossman sustained minor bumps and bruises, including a larger bruise to her right forearm, alongside the permanent scar on her forehead.

She continues to find it difficult to accept the “unprovoked attack” happened while she was socialising, with no warning of what was to come.

Sentencing Judge Patrick Thompson described the case as “two women acting as bullies attacking a lone woman.”

He told the defendants they had not given “a thought to your children when you were drinking.”

Dutton received an 18-month suspended prison sentence and must complete 25 days’ rehabilitation, 150 hours’ unpaid work and a six-month alcohol abstinence order.

She was also ordered to pay Mossman £2,500 in compensation and received a five-year restraining order.

Roberts received a six-month suspended sentence, with 25 days’ rehabilitation and 150 hours’ unpaid work.

Following the hearing, the two women were seen smiling and hugging outside the courtroom.

Both women had expressed remorse during the proceedings, with Dutton’s lawyer saying she wished to “express her deepest apologies” to Mossman.

Roberts was “thoroughly ashamed” when she saw the CCTV footage of her behaviour, her counsel James Coutts told the court.

The judge noted that both women had come “very close to going to prison” and were spared immediate custody only due to the “significant harm” imprisonment would cause their children.