A MOTHER-of-two enjoying a night out in Burnley was hit in the face by a bottle thrown by a woman she had never met.

Blackburn magistrates heard Emma Ives was a totally innocent victim who had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But her injuries led to a bill for dental treatment of over £5,000 and a dramatic loss of confidence.

And the court heard she was unable to eat solids for over a month because of the pain.

Emily Broadbent, 24, of Melbury Grove, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to assaulting Miss Ives causing her actual bodily harm. She was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months with 250 hours' unpaid work. She was ordered to pay £7,500 compensation to Miss Ives.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said Miss Ives was enjoying a night out with friends on May 12. She was in Smackwater Jacks after midnight when one of her friends got into a row with the defendant.

“They threw drinks at each other and the defendant then threw a bottle which hit the aggrieved in the face,” said Miss Allan. "The aggrieved has been left with bill for dental treatment of £5,185.”

In a victim statement Miss Ives said the emotional damage had been hard to handle.

She said she and her family had suffered mentally and financially.

They had to pay out for dental treatment and had not been able to afford to go on their annual family holiday.

Miss Ives, a part-time hairdresser, said she had always been an outgoing and sociable person but the incident had changed her. She said her nine-year-old son was worried about her going out.

Ben Leech, defending, said his client was in Burnley because she was attending the football match against Arsenal the following day.

He said she had never been involved in a physical fracas.

“She accepts she didn’t deal with it particularly well and bitterly regrets what happened,” said Mr Leech. “She wishes she could turn back time and behave differently.”

He said Broadbent had started work as a primary school teacher in September and stood to lose her £24,000 a year job.

“She has arranged to borrow the money from her mother to pay the compensation and she wishes to proffer her apologies to the aggrieved,” said Mr Leach.