Man attacked with glass after commenting on woman's age; Here’s what we know

In a Manchester pub, a simple conversation took an unexpected turn when a woman assaulted a man who misjudged her age. Here's the breakdown of what happened.

By Sakina Kaukawala

Published on Apr 23, 2024 | 04:50 PM IST | 72.3K

Image Courtesy: Cavendish Press

Trigger Warning: This article contains references to physical assault.

At a Manchester pub, a lighthearted exchange turned dangerous when a woman assaulted a man with a wine glass after he misguessed her age, as per Metro. Here's everything we know about the incident.

What prompted the assault at the Manchester pub?

Joanne Dodd, a businesswoman, became enraged when Carl Cooper jokingly guessed her age to be 43 when she was actually 39. The incident occurred during a friendly conversation at the Unicorn Pub in Manchester's city center. Prosecutor Emma Clark stated that the conversation escalated following Cooper's guess, prompting Dodd to threaten him, saying she would "glass him."

Following the heated exchange, Cooper attempted to leave the situation by going to the restroom. However, Dodd pursued and attacked him when he returned.

Prosecutor Emma Clark said, “He went to the toilet to get away from the situation and the defendant and her sister proceeded to the main bar area. But she caught sight of Mr Cooper as he left the toilet and immediately ran towards him, striking him twice in the face with a glass causing a laceration to the face and narrowly missing his eye.”

Image Courtesy: Cavendish Press

She pushed her wine glass into his face twice, leaving a 10cm cut near his eye and narrowly avoiding serious injury. Cooper required stitches for the wound and sustained a thumb injury during the assault.

Legal proceedings for Joanne Dodd

Dodd, who had been drinking heavily at the time of the attack, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm. Despite the possibility of a three-year prison sentence, Judge Elizabeth Nicholls decided to give her a suspended sentence.

The judge recognized Dodd's remorse and lack of prior convictions. Dodd was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and required to complete 180 hours of unpaid work. In addition, she was ordered to pay £800 in compensation to her victim.

Image Courtesy: Cavendish Press

Mark Friend, Dodd's barrister, stated personal issues that contributed to her behavior, such as the death of her father and her struggles with self-esteem. Dodd's regret was made clear by her friend, who apologized to the victim on her behalf.

Judge Nicholls recognized Dodd's positive character traits, citing her efforts as a hardworking woman and a loving mother. Despite condemning Dodd's actions as "incomprehensible," the judge acknowledged mitigating factors while stating the seriousness of the offense.

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