NATIONAL NEWS: Woman admits unlawful wounding over stiletto shoe attack in nightclub

A restaurateur who used a stiletto shoe to attack a woman in a nightclub has admitted unlawful wounding.
Natalie Jeffery arriving at Basildon Combined Court in Essex where she is accused of a stiletto shoe attackNatalie Jeffery arriving at Basildon Combined Court in Essex where she is accused of a stiletto shoe attack
Natalie Jeffery arriving at Basildon Combined Court in Essex where she is accused of a stiletto shoe attack

Natalie Jeffery, 24, used the shoe to strike Sophie Roberts in the face at Unit 7 nightclub in Basildon, Essex.

Ms Roberts, in her 20s, suffered facial injuries in the incident at around 3am on September 18 2016.

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Jeffery denies inflicting grievous bodily harm but admitted a charge of unlawful wounding, which was put to her in an amended indictment on the second day of her trial at Basildon Crown Court.

Prosecutor Andrew Hope said Jeffery's plea was acceptable to the Crown.

Jeffery, of Tantelen Road, Canvey Island, who has long blonde hair and wore glasses and a black dress, spoke only to enter her plea.

The court will hear further evidence about the incident ahead of sentencing.

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Mr Hope said Ms Roberts was attacked as she bought a bottle of water from the bar while preparing to leave the club with friends.

He said she had been upstairs with one friend for most of the night, and they had returned downstairs to find the rest of her group who she knew less well.

"She said she went to the bar, ordered a bottle of water, received it and stepped back a little," said Mr Hope.

"She said as soon as she stepped back she was struck three times to her left eye by someone outside her vision.

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"She said she thought she might have been hit by a bottle as her eye was pouring with blood.

"She heard her friend repeatedly shout 'you've got the wrong girl'."

In a victim impact statement, Ms Roberts said she suffered floaters in her eyes, saw flashing light and had migraines.

"She talks about the hardest part being for a number of days not knowing whether she would recover sight in her left eye," said Mr Hope.

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He added that she said scar tissue on her left eye gave the impression it was slightly lazy.

James Lachkovic, mitigating, said Jeffery had acted as a "peacemaker" in an altercation earlier in the night and had taken her shoes off to hold them.

He said Jeffery struck out with her shoes as "a reaction to having her glasses knocked off" by somebody else.

He said she also threw a glass, and added: "She reacts for about two seconds extremely badly."

He said Jeffery works at a pizza delivery business, it was an isolated incident and she has no previous convictions.

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