Jail for 'dangerous alcoholic' who attacked two men in Burnley

Deborah Slater, 49, beat Anthony Catterall with a heavy soup mug, leaving him needing 20 stitches to lacerations on his head and face.

John Keefe, who she turned on next, was knocked unconscious by Slater, who then carried on hitting him.

He ended up bleeding from the nose, mouth and head, had two black eyes, his brain was swollen and bleeding, he developed three blood clots and underwent a life saving operation, Burnley Crown Court heard.

The defendant had gone into the kitchen to look for a knife so she could carry on the onslaught on Mr Keefe, was but stopped by another woman at the house on Heap Street, Burnley.

The court was told that Slater told someone at the house: “I told them I would and they deserved it. They had it good style.”

Slater, who has lived in Padiham and more recently in Burnley, had admitted wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and wounding, last November.

She was given an indeterminate prison sentence to protect the public and must serve three and a half years, less 121 days, before the parole board can consider if she is safe to be released.

Simon James, prosecuting, said a group of people had been at the house drinking throughout the day.

Mr Catterall said something to the defendant and struck her in the eye.

In response, she got a pot soup mug and hit him repeatedly, particularly around the eye.

Mr James said Mr Catterall had 14 stitches to his eye, six in his head and also suffered other gashes and bruises.

Mr Keefe, said to have dependency problems, had surgery and was to tell police the pain of his injury made him feel as if his head was going to explode.

He had to have 52 stitches and been left with a permanent scar which ran from his forehead, across the back of his head and to his ear.

Andrew Nuttall, for Slater, said she had suffered violence from certain men.

She did not start the violence on the night of the latest offences, but reacted to it.