Pregnant mother cleared of assault in nightclub (From Free Press Series)

Pregnant mother cleared of assault in nightclub

A woman has been cleared of allegations at Cardiff crown court that she attacked a clubber causing her to suffer injuries to her fingers.

Kelly Fisher, 30, a mother of two who is also seven months pregnant, of Wainfelin Avenue, Pontypool, was found not guilty of wounding Paula Robinson with intent to do grievous bodily harm and not guilty of an alternative charge of wounding.

Ms Fisher had denied claims that she attacked mother of three Ms Robinson during a dispute in a lavatory in the Zanzibar club, Newport, in the early hours of October 17. Ms Fisher, who has no previous convictions, told the court that in the club Ms Robinson was staring at her. When she went to the lavatory, Ms Fisher told the court, Ms Robinson was drunk "out of her head" and appeared to be waiting for her. She said Ms Robinson gripped her by the hair, punched and kicked her to the floor, struck her in the face and put her foot in her stomach.

She bit the little finger of Ms Robinson's right hand to the bone causing it to become permanently deformed and to the index finger of her left hand, breaking it.

Ms Robinson was operated on at Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital and was later detained for a week when an infection broke out.

Ms Fisher said it was self-defence. "She was gouging my face. She was like a lunatic," she said.