A VIOLENT teenage girl who cut a police officer's eyeball leaving his career in the balance is today starting a ten-month custodial sentence.

BY GEORGINA JAMES

georgina.james@eveningstar.co.uk

A VIOLENT teenage girl who cut a police officer's eyeball leaving his career in the balance is today starting a ten-month custodial sentence.

Magistrates heard how Pc Alan Oliver had to see a specialist after the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, lashed out at him following a drinking binge.

At an earlier court hearing, the slightly built youngster, admitted grievous bodily harm but the charge was reduced to actual bodily harm as the injury sustained by the officer was not as severe as initially thought.

Appearing in the youth court at South East Suffolk Magistrates, prosecutor John Hardwick, said: "The injury to the officer does not amount to GBH and the charge is now actual bodily harm.

"The officer's eyeball is nearly healed but the prognosis for the future is unclear. The reddening to his eye has almost gone but is still noticeable."

Mr Hardwick said the girl's attack on Pc Oliver followed a drinking binge in Christchurch Park on September 25. On returning to her Ipswich care home she became violent and smashed a window.

The court heard how Pc Oliver attempted to calm the girl but she lashed out punching him in the eyeball.

Ian Persaud defending said: "It would be hard to describe my client as a violent person." He asked magistrates to avoid a custodial sentence considering the reduction in the charge."

In sentencing, Chairman of the bench Barney Turner, said: "We believe it necessary to sentence you to a custodial sentence because of the nature and seriousness of the offence, the injury sustained to the officer and your failure to respond to previous sentences.

"We have decided to make a detention and training order for ten months."

The teenagers was told that she will serve the first half of her sentence in secure accommodation and after five months she will be released to serve the remainder in the community.

She was told that if she made good progress while in detention she could be released sooner, however, if her progress was considered poor then she could serve a longer period locked up.

The 15-year-old old was also sentenced for common assault on June 10, interference of a motor vehicle on June 30 and criminal damage on September 25.

She was given a four month detention and training order for each charge. All sentences will run concurrently.