Woman jailed after bottle attack on bus

A drunken woman who hurled a glass bottle of vodka at a student on a bus causing a nasty cut to her head has been locked up. 

The 23-year-old victim had boarded a bus in Nottingham city centre with a friend, heading to Clifton, when she was targeted by 39-year-old Amanda Ross. 

Ross sat next to her at the back of the bus, dipped her fingers into a glass of drink and started to flick drink at her. She asked the victim if she had a problem before flicking more drink at her. 

The victim and her friend moved upstairs to get away from Ross who shouted abuse at her as they went before she followed them up to the top deck, taking the vodka bottle with her. 

Her friend tried to get in between the victim and her aggressor but a short time later Ross threw the bottle at her, hitting her on the side of her head. 

It caused a cut which had to be glued and left the victim with a scar. 

The unprovoked attack happened shortly after 8.15pm on 14 February 2022. 

Ross, of Cinnabar Way, East Leake, was arrested after a media appeal was issued by Nottinghamshire Police and she handed herself in. 

She went on to plead guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm without intent and was jailed for two years when she appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Friday (11 October). 

The court was told that the victim, who was in the final year of her university studies at the time of the attack, was a keen footballer and wanted to join the Army. 

Reading her victim statement, she said she was still suffering symptoms since the attack, including blurred vision and headaches. 

Judge Michael Auty KC told Ross that she had ‘robbed’ the victim of those two passions in her life due to her behaviour that day, adding he had ‘no doubt she would have had a terrific career in football and with the Army.’ 

In mitigation, the court heard that Ross was ‘genuinely sorry’ for what she had done and was ‘thoroughly ashamed’ by the way she had behaved. 

Detective Constable Charlotte Webster, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Everyone should be entitled to feel safe when using public transport and do so without fear. 

“However, on this occasion, Ross decided to persistently pick on and then assault a complete stranger on a bus by throwing a glass vodka bottle at her head at close range. 

“The impact this unprovoked attack has had on the victim has been profound. Her life has changed because of it. 

“As highlighted in this case, we will not tolerate violent or abusive behaviour on our public transport, and we continue to work with our partners to stamp out disorder of this nature and take robust action against offenders like Ross who cause harm to others.”