Edinburgh crime: Fife cleaner who smashed pint glass on woman’s head at Rat Pack pub avoids jail

Woman avoids jail sentence after Edinburgh pub pint glass attack

A Fife cleaner who left a woman with a serious head injury after attacking her with a pint glass in an Edinburgh pub has avoided a jail sentence. Kerry-Isa Bell struck victim Martina Lyon to the side of her head while holding the glass tumbler at the Rat Pack piano bar in the Capital's west end last year.

The 41-year-old and Ms Lyon were involved in a heated argument over a seat when Bell lashed out at the woman causing the glass to smash over the woman’s head. Ms Lyon was rushed to the royal infirmary where she was treated for two deep cuts to her head and face.

Bell pleaded guilty to the assault when she appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in February and was back in the dock for sentencing on Monday, March 20. Sheriff Christopher Dickson told the mother-of-one she was being banned from the Rat Pack pub for 12 months and ordered her to pay compensation of £1,000 to her victim. Bell was also placed on a 12 month supervision order and told she must complete 165 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Kerry-Isa Bell has avoided jail after smashing a glass on a woman's head in the Rat Pack bar in Edinburgh's Shandwick Place

Solicitor Paul Smith, defending, said his client “accepted full responsibility” for the attack and had admitted to police officers what she had done following her arrest. Mr Smith said Bell, from Glenrothes, is self employed and runs a housekeeping services business and has two previous convictions for assault committed while under the influence of alcohol.

Previously the court heard Bell and a friend arrived at the Edinburgh city centre pub at around 9.30pm on May 7 last year. Prosecutor Alan Wickham said the pair sat a table but were told the seats were taken but they could leave their bags if they wished. At around 11pm, Bell’s friend attempted to take the seat again and an argument ensued between the parties.

The fiscal said: “The accused became irate and aggressive. A witness noted the situation was escalating and informed the management. The accused was holding a pint glass in her hand and thereafter swung her hand holding the glass into the side of the head of Ms Lyon.”

The court heard Bell was “immediately removed” from the premises by security staff and the police were contacted. Bell was found waiting outside and she was arrested and charged with the attack. The victim was said to have suffered a cut to her scalp that required staples and a laceration to her left cheek. Bell pleaded guilty to assaulting Martina Lyon by striking her to the head with a glass causing the glass to smash, to her severe injury, at the Rat Pack, Shandwick Place, Edinburgh, on May 7 2022.

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