Boldon mum put her friend in hospital after ‘demolishing’ a litre of Jack Daniels

Laura Lamb and her victim had met on a health course in Edinburgh, where she then lived, kept in touch and reunited at a hotel in Newcastle to celebrate Halloween last year.

But Newcastle Crown Court heard after polishing off the whiskey "pre-drinks" the pair started arguing while out in the city centre.

The trouble, which neither of them can remember, led to Lamb lashing out and leaving the other mum "unresponsive" on the ground before she was intubated and taken to hospital.

Prosecutor Matthew Hopkins told the court: "She remembers being in a bar and the next thing she remembers is waking up in hospital with no memory of how she got there."

Mr Hopkins said a door supervisor in the city had noticed the pair in the street at around 10.40pm last October 28 and told the court: "The two women were arguing and started to push one another so he separated them, telling them to stop it and move on.

"They then walked a little further down the street, continuing to argue, and there was some pushing and shoving."

Mr Hopkins said during some "tussling" Lamb lunged towards the other woman with her hands out and the victim's head hit the window of a pub, which cracked the glass.

He added: "A witness saw her hit her head with such force against the window that it cracked and made a loud noise on impact.

"They saw her drag her to the ground and some of them saw the complainant hit her head off the ground as well."

Mr Hopkins said Lamb had her legs around the other woman's head at one point and a special constable who stepped in to stop the violence was left with a black eye as a result of her lashing out.

The court heard the injured woman was intubated and taken to hospital for a CT scan, which did not reveal any trauma to her head.

Mr Hopkins said she had symptoms of concussion, a graze and bruise on her forehead and had to take two weeks off work.

She was released from hospital the following day but left with dizziness, headaches and when she attended the doctor in the following days was diagnosed with a nasal fracture.

In a victim statement she said: "I have no friendship, trust or ties left with Laura."

Lamb, 41, of Charles Street, Boldon Colliery, admitted assault, assault on an emergency worker and criminal damage.

Robin Patton, defending, said the women, who are both mums, had met on a course in Edinburgh, where Lamb lived at the time.

When Lamb moved out of Scotland they stayed in touch and met up in Newcastle for a Halloween night out.

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Mr Patton added: "The friend brought a litre bottle of Jack Daniels, as it seems for many people a habit, they have pre-drinks as it costs so much to drink outside.

"They demolished, the two of them, a bottle of Jack Daniels."

Mr Patton said anyone watching CCTV in the city that night "could see that's true" and added: "These two had way, way too much."

Mr Patton said both woman have "no idea" what happened that night and added that Lamb is a hard working mum who has never been in trouble before, is not a regular drinker and it was "out of character".

Mr Recorder Jamie Hill KC told Lamb: "Neither you nor she can remember what it was all about."

The recorder added that Lamb is an educated, hard working mum and that this was a "one off".

Recorder Hill sentenced her to 12 months, suspended for two years, with 100 hours unpaid work and a six month conditional discharge.