New Year's Day reveller hit with £800 court bill for assaulting two sisters at Peebles hotel

Jodie Sewell pleaded guilty to striking both women to the head in the Crown Hotel in Peebles High Street on January 1.

Selkirk Sheriff Court heard that the 30-year-old went into the hotel carrying a bottle of Prosecco but was told that wasn’t allowed by a member of staff there.

Depute fiscal Anna Robertson said the accused did not take well to that and lunged at her and struck her in the face as she tried to usher her outside and close the pub’s shutters.

The woman’s sister, also working there, then asked Sewell why she had thrown that punch, prompting her to hit her in the face too.

The first victim suffered a cut to her left eyebrow, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Colin Severin said his client had been out celebrating the new year at the time and had bought a bottle of Prosecco at the County Hotel across the road.

He said: “She entered the wrong hotel and was confronted. She lashed out at no one in particular but caught the woman who had challenged her.

“On the second occasion, she felt threatened and lashed out.”

Mr Severin said Sewell, of Wemyss Place in Peebles, suffered from a disorder resulting in a tendency to lash out in that way.

He added: “She is embarrassed about this and apologetic to the victims, who are otherwise friends.”

Sewell was fined £300 apiece for the two assaults and ordered to pay £100 compensation to each of her victims.

That £800 fine and compensation bill is to be paid at £40 a month.