An 18-year-old student has written a letter of apology to a fellow student she attacked and kicked on the ground, Fermanagh Court has heard.

Lisa McConnell, of Glen Road, Tempo, admitted assaulting the 40-year-old mature student and being disorderly at Darling Street in Enniskillen.

She was given 60 hours of community service and ordered to pay her victim £200 compensation.

A prosecutor told the court that in the early hours of Thursday, December 12, last year, police went to A2B Taxis in Enniskillen and spoke to McConnell. She told them she had been attacked by a man and woman in Darling Street. She said she had been involved in a fight and that a taxi driver had pulled up and shouted at her before trying to hit her. She said he then grabbed her by the throat, pushed her up against the shutters of a shop and threatened to kill her.

The prosecutor said the injured party told police she had been attacked by two women. She said she had been socialising in the Devenish Bar in Darling Street with some of her fellow students from South West College. She had an altercation with two women and left the bar. She crossed the street and as she had had too much to drink she sat down on the pavement. She said McConnell and another woman followed her out of the bar and began shouting at her. McConnell then attacked her. McConnell’s initial swings did not connect but the assault continued for a period of time with the injured party being kicked as she lay on the ground. The injured party fell back with her legs up to defend herself. There was screaming and shouting and the injured party sustained bruising to her forehead, body and the back of her leg.

The court heard that McConnell was examined and also had bruising. She was interviewed and accepted the altercation had taken place and that she was involved in a fight outside the Devenish Bar. She admitted that she had followed the injured party and kicked her on the ground.

District Judge Nigel Broderick said there was a quite detailed Victim Impact Statement in which the injured party expressed concern about McConnell’s lack of remorse, but that has now been rectified.

Defence barrister Steffan Rafferty said there were other parties involved including a co-accused who was dealt with by way of a caution.

The District Judge told McConnell: “I’m satisfied that you have now sent a letter of apology to the injured party and that was one of the concerns the court had previously.”