A woman was left with four puncture wounds after a fight with another woman outside a pub.

Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard Jodie Elizabeth Wharton accepted having a key in her hand at the time of the incident but denied using it to stab the victim on July 29, 2022.

Wharton, 30, of Cliff Lane, Great Harwood, pleaded guilty to assault.

She was ordered to pay £300 compensation, £200 costs and a £114 victim surcharge and fined £200.

Glen Anderton, prosecuting, said Wharton had pleaded guilty on a basis. She accepted she had used excessive self-defence.

She claimed she had been assaulted by the other woman, Cheryl Crockert, leaving her with a bruised eye socket. She did not accept using a key to stab the other woman or cause injury.

Mr Anderton said Ms Crockert had been standing outside a pub in Blackburn and Wharton was on the opposite side of the road. She became angry and verbally abusive.

“She approached the victim and there was some kind of physical altercation between them,” said Mr Anderton. “She accepts she didn’t act in pure self defence.”

Mr Anderton said the victim suffered four puncture wounds, to her shoulder, an ear, her cheek and the left side of her neck.

In a statement, Ms Crockert said she had left her job in a pub for fear the defendant might walk in. She said she was afraid to go out socially in case she bumped into the defendant.

Mohammed Farooq, mitigating, said his client had no previous convictions.

“This offence dates back to July 2022,” said Mr Farooq. “My client has been on bail since then and there have been no breaches of that bail.”