A ROW between neighbours over a barking dog culminated in one of them being struck across the face with a milk bottle and scarred for life, a court was told.

Joanne Francis, 22, of Buchanan Close, Monmouth, was jailed for one year and eight months after pleading guilty to a charge of wounding 42-year-old Jacqueline Nangle.

At Cardiff crown court, Judge Nicholas Cooke said the victim had suffered “a horrific injury”.

He told Francis: “It does not give me any pleasure to sentence you to imprisonment. But if you inflict injury of this kind on a fellow human being there is no alternative.”

Prosecutor Nicola Powell said that at the time Francis was living in Clos Durand, Abergavenny.

The two women had an argument about a dog barking and the court was told that Mrs Nangle called Francis “a stupid cow”.

Soon after Francis attacked her with a milk bottle causing a four inch long cut across her right cheek.

The court heard that Mrs Nangle was blind in one eye and was deeply concerned that the bottle could have hit the other eye.

She now lacks confidence and, and said Ms Powell, believes everyone is looking at her.

Francis told the police she took the bottle because she believed she was going to be struck.

Francis, the court heard, had convictions for public order offences, assaulting the police, causing criminal damage, and shoplifting.

Her counsel Sarah Waters said the victim had gone out specifically to look for Francis and was angry with her.

It was true, she said, that Francis could have walked away but she was invited to fight.

Mrs Nangle, she said, was a bigger person and the defendant grabbed the bottle because she thought she would not get the better of the two.

Ms Waters said: “What happened was reprehensible but it was a one blow incident which lasted seconds.

“She’s had problems with drugs and can be a confused individual.”

The judge said: “Violence of this kind has to be stamped upon.”