A BYSTANDER suffered a broken nose after being attacked by two women who were playing a game of tag during a drunken night out.

Lucy Bridgeman and Laura Smith had travelled from their homes in Wellington for a party night in Torbay when they became involved in a fracas with victim Katrina Thomas.

Miss Thomas stepped in to act as peacemaker but the two women pulled her hair and knocked her over, leading her to hit her head on a concrete bollard and be knocked out.

She attended the sentencing hearing and stood up in front of her two attackers to read a statement in which she told how the ‘vicious’ attack had knocked her self-confidence and made her frightened of going out.

Nursery school teaching assistant Bridgeman, 26, of Priory, Wellington; and beautician Smith, 23, of Jurston Lane, Wellington, admitted affray.

They were both conditionally discharged and each ordered to pay £1,000 compensation and £100 costs by Recorder Mr John Williams at Exeter Crown Court.

He told them: “What an absolute tragedy this case is and what 1,000 pities. I am not sure the public realise what happens on drunken evenings.

“There were three perfectly delightful and decent young ladies involved but one was injured for no more than trying to be a Good Samaritan and stop others from misbehaving. One wonders how anyone has the courage to try to do the decent thing.

“You two young ladies have lost your good character. One of you cares for children and may be unable to do so or to train as a teacher. It is no good me pontificating about how people should be more careful.

“This affray took place more than three years ago and you have both remained of good character in that time and I am sure that will continue. This was an aberration which will not be repeated.

“I don’t lose sight of the fact that this was most disgraceful behaviour and you have heard from Miss Thomas about how awful it was for her.”

Mr Ian Graham, prosecuting, said the affray happened at 3am on July 21, 2013. Ms Thomas had been out with friends celebrating a birthday when Bridgeman and Smith bumped into one of her group, Josh Watson.

He said:”They had been playing tag. Words were exchanged between the groups which quickly turned into shouting and foul language. Ms Thomas tried to calm it down. She received a push which sent her to the ground.

“She got up and attempted against to calm things down but at this stage both the defendants turned on her and a scuffle ensued.

“Witnesses said Ms Thomas was hit and her hair pulled. She went to ground at the hands of these two defendants and struck a bollard. She became unconscious for a short period of time.”

Ms Thomas told the court she had been an outgoing and confident young woman who had always been anti-violence but the ‘vicious attack’ had left her feeling insecure and frightened of going out alone.

She said: “I always want somebody close and worry I’ll be subject to another random attack or suffer further injuries. I worry I might bump into the girls again. It’s very difficult to explain the full impact but I certainly won’t forget it.”

Miss Emily Pitt, for Smith, said she is ashamed of what happened and which was a ‘moment of madness’.

Mr Paul Dentith, for Bridgeman, said she is now a mother and on maternity leave from her job in a nursery. This conviction may prevent her ambition to train as a teacher.