Woman jailed for attempting to murder boy with broken bottle
The attack occurred in the Osborne Street and Stockwell Street area
- Published
A woman has been jailed for the attempted murder of a teenage boy with a broken gin bottle.
The 16-year-old needed life-saving surgery after the assault near St Enoch shopping centre in Glasgow in August 2023.
Paula Macaulay, 43, was sentenced to five years and nine months at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Lord Young praised the skill of the surgeons, saying that without their skill in saving the teenager's life then Macaulay would have faced a murder charge.
Police found parts of the broken bottle and glass fragments on her clothes after detaining her.
She had been due to stand trial at the High Court in Glasgow last month but pled guilty to attempted murder while acting under provocation.
The remand prisoner observed court proceedings via video link from jail.
Lord Young previously heard how the victim and his friends had been out in the city centre on the evening of the attack.
They ended up in the company of Macaulay and a male friend. The boy ended up in an "altercation" with Macaulay's friend.
'Profuse bleeding'
Prosecutor Gareth Reid said Macaulay got involved and a gin bottle she had was smashed.
One of the boy's group grabbed the woman by the hair to try and get her off her friend.
Mr Reid told the court that Macaulay struck the boy on the neck with the broken bottle and he fell to the floor bleeding.
She fled as the victim's friends flagged down passing British Transport police officers for help.
There was "profuse bleeding" to a wound on the right side of his neck which required an operation that will leave permanent scarring.
Macaulay claimed the others had been "jumping" on her male friend and that she had also been assaulted, including having food thrown at her.
On Thursday, defence advocate Rosalyn McTaggart told the court that her client had a traumatic childhood and suffered from addiction issues.
The lawyer added that she was genuinely sorry for her actions.
Lord Young told Macaulay she would have received a six and half year term if she had not pleaded guilty.