After her boyfriend started a brawl in Manchester centre, a social worker was fired. She threw 2 bottles vodka at the crowd and caused a scarring of a man’s life.
Nicole Berry was 25 and had been drinking. She launched the two-litre bottles within 30 seconds. Justin Henry began a fight at 2am. Nicole Berry was also arrested.
Paul Dann suffered a head injury when one of the bottles hit his head. The man has suffered from migraines since then and his hair has been trimmed to conceal the injury.
Berry is a Royton-near Oldham graduate of Masters. Berry had gone out to celebrate her offer for a job in mental health social work on a Greater Manchester unit.
In the meantime, she was sent home with full pay in order to undergo a discipline investigation.
She was sentenced to up to 5 years in prison for grievous bodily injury, but she was released with a 12-month community order. This came after she told a judge that she would lose her job and she wanted to go to jail.
Nicole Berry, a social worker (pictured outside court with mother Susan), has been suspended from her job after she scarred a man for life when she threw two bottles of vodka into a crowd
Berry and Henry were out to dinner in Manchester Centre on March 29th, 2019. He bought Berry vodka for congratulations and gave her bottles of vodka during that evening.
At 2.30am, trouble began in the Deansgate Locks area of the city when Henry became involved in an argument with Mr Dann. He had just been celebrating 21st birthday in Revolution bar.
Miss Rachel Widdicombe, the prosecutor said that Mr Henry was involved in an altercation with about a dozen other people while waiting for a taxi. He was leaning against the bonnet of a police car and called Mr Dann a ‘p***k’ and they approached each other with clench fists.
‘Mr Dann pushed him back and told him he had picked the wrong person and Mr Henry was then punched to the ground and kicked. He displayed aggression but was clearly outnumbered, and he was assaulted by several people.
“He was repeatedly kicked, punched, and shoved to the ground. After seeing the situation, she attempted to obtain a taxi. She then moved towards the chaos.
“She hurled two vodka bottles with her hands across the heads and necks of all those in attendance. He was hit in the forehead by one of them and his blood began to pour out.
Berry (25), was fighting Justin Henry, her boyfriend, after they got in a fight around 2am in Manchester. They were celebrating Berry’s new gig.
“After sustaining a 3cm scalp laceration, he was taken to the hospital but discharged himself with no treatment.
“The defendant did not respond to questions in the interview, but she now acknowledges that her actions were unwise and discriminatory. She is therefore no longer considered lawful defense of another.
Dann made the following statement: “Since that assault, I’ve noticed more migraines.
“While I understand people making mistakes, it is essential to be accountable for them.”
Ian Metcalfe (defense counsel) stated in mitigation that Berry’s reaction to being with her boyfriend was “stressful and violent”. She is instinctive, reactive, and reckless, and she acts indiscriminately.
Metcalfe stated that this was an isolated event, which was both recklessly and discriminatorily handled. It will be impossible for her long-held dream to become social worker. The court should show humanity and give the lady one last chance. It was obviously out of character.
Manchester Crown Court granted Berry a 12 month community order (pictured).
Berry was sent to court by Mr. Recorder Jeremy Lasker. He said, “It was ill thought, stupid, reckless, dangerous.
“I don’t know what you meant, but it caused a serious injury to Paul Dann’s crown which left him permanently scarred. He has had to make some changes in his appearance, and it is causing him headaches.
“You were acting out of emotion and the outcome was not what you expected. This was an extremely frightening circumstance that was completely unavoidable. There is no family history of violence. You are a graduate and masters student in social work. Your five-year experience in the care home dementia unit has shown you to be positive, good natured and able to work independently.
“The victim suffered permanent injuries to his head and was innocent.” However, I recognize that you are genuine repentance and have demonstrated a lot of insight about your actions the night in dispute. I’m going to give you a sentence that will lessen your chance of being fired.
“If your bottle struck one of these attackers, then you would not receive any compensation. However Paul Dann was innocent.”
Berry was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid labor, 15 days of rehabilitation and a 60-day alcohol monitoring program.
She was further ordered to pay £750 compensation to Mr Dann plus £350 costs. Henry admitted to being drunk and disorderly during an earlier hearing.