Beautician handed eight years for east Belfast hammer attack

A beautician who blinded a woman after being struck with a hammer in Belfast has been sentenced to eight years.

36-year-old Samantha Goldring was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent by a jury in May.

Originally from Essex but now of Tynan Drive in Newtownabbey, Goldring had claimed she was acting in self-defence.

The jury, however, convicted her of both causing the woman's injuries and possessing the weapon with intent.

The victim, aged in her 20s, had to have her left eye replaced with an artificial replacement after the attack in the Shankill area in April 2017.

Handing out the sentence, Judge Gordon Kerr QC told Goldring she will serve four years in prison, followed by a further four years on licence.