A 21-year-old who pulled out clumps of a woman’s hair during an assault has been put on probation and ordered to pay her £1,400 compensation.

Sarah Louise Stoddart denied assault causing actual bodily harm but was found guilty after a summary court trial.

Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood sentenced her to 6 months’ custody, suspended for two years, and also ordered her to pay £1,500 prosecution costs, the cost of the trial.

The offence was committed at Bowring Road in Ramsey on May 2.

Stoddart was said to have torn clumps of hair out of the woman’s head.

The victim was said to have been trying to help her at the time, but Stoddart had been in a distressed, confused and drunken state.

Stoddart said she had limited recollection of the incident.

Ms Braidwood said that alcohol had been an aggravating factor but also went some way to explaining the irrational behaviour.

Defence advocate Peter Taylor handed in letters of reference on behalf of his client and said that the assault had clearly not been pre-meditated.

Mr Taylor said that Stoddart had apologised in messages to the complainant and had demonstrated remorse in the probation report.

The advocate said that it had been an isolated incident, which was unlikely to be repeated.

The probation report assessed the defendant as a low risk of reoffending.

Mr Taylor said that it was a tragic situation that had involved two former friends, and that if Stoddart was sentenced to custody her employment would be in jeopardy.

The Deputy High Bailiff said: ‘You took this to trial. You put the complainant through having to give evidence and being cross-examined.’

Stoddart, of Crellin’s Grove, agreed to pay the compensation and prosecution costs at a rate of £250 per month.