Miss England finalist 'had wine glass smashed in face'
A woman smashed a wine glass into a Miss England finalist's face during a row at a bar, causing "horrific" injuries, a court has heard.
China Gold, 27, is accused of grabbing Olivia Cooke, 21, by the throat before striking her twice, leaving shards of glass embedded in her foreheard. Maidstone Crown Court heard professional golfer Ms Cooke needed facial stitches after the row at the Farm House pub in West Malling, Kent. Ms Gold denies unlawful wounding. The court heard both women were part of a group which met at the pub on 19 October 2018. 'Stick up for myself' Giving evidence on Tuesday, Ms Cooke said the last orders bell had just sounded when Ms Gold made a "crude comment". She said the defendant started "coming at me verbally, just calling me a slag and a slut and all this, and I am definitely not. "I just tried to stick up for myself at that point. It all got a bit too much," she said. She told the court Ms Gold had followed her outside the pub and, "out of nowhere", grabbed her by the throat. In the ensuing struggle, Ms Cooke, said, Ms Gold had struck her twice: "One to break the glass and the second one to cause injury." Prosecutor Emin Kandola said that it was not in dispute that Ms Gold had caused the injuries to Ms Cooke, but that the defendant says she was acting in lawful self-defence. The court has heard Ms Gold, of London Road, Ditton, is not a violent person, and that Ms Cooke started the fight by throwing a glass at her. Cross-examining Ms Cooke, defence barrister Robin Griffiths suggested she had confronted Ms Gold after the defendant had tried to walk away. "You weren't prepared to let it go, you went after her," he said. "I did not," Ms Cooke said. The jury was told Ms Cooke's mother, Julie, has pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms Gold occasioning actual bodily harm in separate proceedings. Jurors were also told that Ms Cooke faces a charge of assault against Ms Gold in relation to throwing a glass at her in separate proceedings. Witness Lacey Custance, a mutual friend of both women, told jurors Ms Gold did not want to engage in an argument and Ms Cooke had pursued her. Ms Custance said she had seen Ms Cooke throw a wine glass at Ms Gold. The trial continues.