The parents of a woman left scarred for life after glass was smashed into her face arrived at a pub to find her seriouly injured. 

Ipswich Crown Court heard how James Booth, 29, had drunk seven pints and two shots before carrying out the assault, which unfolded in September last year.

Victim Lucy Nobile said she had been left “reliving the attack in her dreams.”

The court heard a heartfelt victim impact statement penned by Miss Nobile, detailing the impact the attack has since had on her day-to-day life.

The statement detailed how she was seen as “the strong one” of the family, with the devastating injuries and her subsequent struggles impacting on her mum and dad.

The judge was told she had been left feeling “paranoid” and had difficulty with physical contact.

The court heard she has struggled to sleep since the attack, is still suffering from night terrors and was “fearful of making contact with people at all”.

She said she “doesn’t like to go out alone anymore” and struggled to even venture out in public because of the scarring.

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The court heard she had lost friends after the attack and was “scared of everything”.

Her degenerative sight condition was made worse by the attack and her injuries left her struggling to eat.

She had to resort to using a straw to drink due to the loss of sensation in her face.

The court heard the injuries included a 10cm by 5cm wound to her upper cheek, a 10cm laceration to her upper neck and a laceration her lower lip.

She also suffered a laceration to her right lower eyelid.

Miss Nobile experienced a numbness and loss of feeling in her cheek due to potential nerve damage.

CCTV footage of the attack shows Miss Nobile was bleeding heavily on to her face and chest in the immediate aftermath.

Played in court, the footage shows the moment Miss Nobile turns away from Booth before he scoops up the glass and strikes her.

Reading Miss Nobile’s statement, prosecutor Philip Farr said: “Her father attended the pub while she was still there awaiting treatment.

“The sight of his daughter injured in that way caused a great deal of distress to him.

“Her mother described having to take time off work.

“Typically she was seen as the strong one in the family, so seeing her so badly affected caused a great deal of upset to the rest of the family.”

Recorder William Clegg QC said Booth had carried out a “dreadful” attack on a “wholly innocent lady”.

“You scarred her for life, picking up a glass and forcing it into her face with such force that it shattered,” he said.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

“The victim impact statement makes it clear what a long-lasting and serious impact your attack has had, which will continue I anticipate for many years to come.

“I take into account your good character, I’m going to give you a 25 per cent discount on your sentence for your early guilty plea.

“I also take into account there was but a single blow rather than repeated blows with a glass.”

Miss Nobile’s family, including her mother and father, attended court on Friday to see the judge pass sentence.

They said they were “pleased and relieved” by the result.

On attending court to face her attacker once again, Miss Nobile said: “It was something I wanted to do, it was quite rewarding to be able to sit in front of the judge and have the evidence presented so clearly.

“I will be looking to have plastic surgery, but it will have to be completely self-funded.

“It was dealt with perfectly.

“When you have scars across your face I think the injuries speak for themselves.

“I don’t think he really showed remorse at all, judging from his actions after the incident.

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