Collette Hanchard, 55, guilty Glasgow High Court Hamilton assault

Collette Hanchard and Frances McKay had been enjoying a summer's night in the victim's outhouse at her home when she suddenly carried out the unprovoked attack.

The 55-year-old laundry worker later messaged Frances, 57, stating she had a cut finger - and could not remember what happened.

A judge - who cast doubt on Hanchard's claims - heard how the victim has been left with "extensive" scars and could have died, but for urgent medical treatment.

First offender Hanchard is now behind bars after she pled guilty to an aggravated assault charge during a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.

The attacker had gone to Frances's home in Hamilton, Lanarkshire on June 14 2024.

Hanchard was described as being in "good spirits". 

The women were initially in the living room before going into the back garden to socialise.

Prosecutor David Fisken told the court: "They remained outside chatting and listening to music."

Around midnight, Hanchard told Frances said she had called a taxi, but was going to visit the toilet before she left.

She was clutching green-stemmed gin glass at the time.

Mr Fisken then explained: "Hanchard was away for two to three minutes while Frances remained in the outhouse.

"Frances then heard glass smashing. Hanchard came to the door of the outhouse. took a large step towards the victim, who felt a terrible pain to the left side of her face and neck.

"She covered her face with her hands and crouched over.

"Hanchard then threw her right hand towards Frances's face, who this time felt extreme pain to the front of it."

The badly wounded woman got away from Hanchard and yelled on her husband Anthony McKay, who was upstairs.

Mr Fisken: "He ran down and saw her holding her neck with blood pouring out from it.

"Frances said to him: 'She has been attacking me'."

Anthony grabbed a towel to help his wife and shouted on Hanchard to get out of their home.

But, she instead sauntered back into the outhouse "as if nothing had happened".

A raging Anthony physically grabbed her and chucked her onto the street. Hanchard soon left in a taxi. 

Frances was rushed to hospital - she had bad injuries to her cheek, ear, lip and neck.

She was luckily able to leave on June 16 after medical help.

Mr Fisken: "The potential consequences of treatment not being provided were bleeding, scarring, infection and death.

"Frances has been left with extensive permanent scarring and a loss of feeling down the left side of her neck as well as behind the ear."

The court heard Hanchard messaged the victim via Facebook after the attack and also left voicemails.

In one text, she claimed: "Hi Frances - what happened last night. I can't remember a thing. 

"Cut finger, blood everywhere. I'm really sorry if I've done something cause your a really good friend xxx".

She said in a voicemail just hours after the crime that she had woke up with "blood everywhere" adding: "Can you help me please?"

Hanchard later told police she had no memory of the time the attack happened, but could recall being asked to leave by Frances's husband.

Hanchard pled guilty to a charge of assaulting her friend to her severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment as well as danger of her life.

Judge Alistair Watson told her: "This is a somewhat bizarre case.

"A person your age having gone through life  without getting into trouble should then commit a crime of such gravity.

"A crime that has had life changing consequences for someone who considered you a friend. 

"You changed her life dramatically. It is difficult to understand how this occurred, unprovoked as it was.

"You claim to have little or no memory - yet appear to recall things earlier in the evening and appear later to have some degree of memory.

"It does rather make one suspicious as to whether you do genuinely have no memory of this.

"In the meantime, the likelihood of a significant custodial sentence seems overwhelming and it would be inappropriate to allow you to remain at liberty."

Hanchard, of Bellshill, also Lanarkshire, will be sentenced next month.