A Sunderland teenager sprayed two door supervisors with CS gas when she was refused admission to a city centre nightclub.
Morgan Bulmer-Gibson, 18, of Well Street, Pallion, admitted two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm when she appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court on Friday, 19th February 2021.
She also admitted a charge of possession of a weapon designed for the discharge of a noxious liquid.
Assault occasioning actual bodily harm, an offence contrary to section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, has a maximum penalty of 26 weeks' custody on summary conviction; 7 years' custody on conviction on indictment.
Possession of a weapon designed for the discharge of a noxious liquid, an offence under section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968, has a maximum penalty of 26 weeks' custody on summary conviction; 10 years' custody on conviction on indictment.
An offence under section 5(1)(b) is not subject to a statutory minimum sentence.
In the case like this, with two or more either-way offences, the Magistrates' Court can impose a maximum penalty of 52 weeks' immediate custody.
The court heard that Bulmer-Gibson was part of a group when she visited Illusions on the city's Holmeside in the early hours of Sunday, 1st March 2020.
Grace Taylor, prosecuting, outlined the circumstances: "The doormen were working when a group of males and females came to the club.
"Other members of the group were outside, and as the doorman took them outside he stumbled and fell along with one of the group.
"The group left but came back a few minutes later and as soon as they were outside, the defendant has sprayed the substance into their eyes.
"One described being sprayed with pepper spray, and the second doorman was sprayed. Their eyes were stinging and sore.
"The defendant was about two feet away and a doorman used his right hand to grab the container, which had the wording 'NATO CS Gas'.
"The police find the defendant nearby. An aggravating factor was that she caused injury, it was on a premises and she was part of a group.
"The defendant admitted that she used it for protection."
The court heard that Bulmer-Gibson has a previous conviction for affray from when she was a youth (so not that long ago).
District Judge Kate Meek adjourned the case pending the completion of a pre-sentence report.
Bulmer-Wilson was granted conditional bail until her sentencing at the same court on Monday, 29th March 2021.
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