Ex-Miss Wales denies bottle attack

Sophie Cahill won the Miss Wales title in 2000

A former Miss Wales slashed a woman with a broken bottle in a nightclub row, a court has heard.

Beauty queen Sophie Cahill, 19, allegedly left Nicola Hutchins needing 16 stitches to a slash wound to the side of her body.

She smashed the bottle against a cubicle door and forced herself towards Miss Wright

Prosecutor David Blake

Newport Crown Court heard how violence flared in a ladies toilet in November 2002.

It is alleged that the ex-Miss Wales clashed with two friends, Nicola Hutchins and Amanda Wright, at a nightclub in Chepstow, south-east Wales.

Prosecutor David Blake said: "While inside the bar, Miss Hutchins saw Ms Cahill knee Miss Wright in the bottom.

"The two friends recognised Ms Cahill as a former winner of the Miss Wales Beauty contest."

The court heard the two went to the toilets at Jimmy Dean's bar and saw Ms Cahill inside.

'Smashed'

Mr Blake added: "She had a bottle in her hand.

"There was an exchange of words and she smashed the bottle against a cubicle door and forced herself towards Miss Wright.

"Miss Hutchins made her way to one of the cubicles.

"She saw the defendant push the broken bottle into her left side. "Miss Hutchins said it was done twice. There was an up and down stabbing motion with the bottle.

"She did not at first realise exactly what had happened, but...she went over to her friend and lifted up her top.

"The girls could then see she was bleeding from a wound in her side."

Wound

The court heard that Miss Hutchins, 28, suffered a gash six centimetres long and four centimetres deep.

She was taken by ambulance to the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, where she was given 16 stitches to the wound.

Ms Cahill was arrested walking home from the club.

Sophie Cahill denies the charges

The court heard she denied being in the club, but police found a Jimmy Dean's stamp on her hand.

Mr Blake said: "In interview she told police she had been in Jimmy Dean's but said she did not start it and acted in self defence."

Ms Cahill - who appeared in court under her married name of Williams - cried and shook her head during the case as she sat in the dock wearing a black and white blouse, black trousers and black pinstripe jacket.

She won the Miss Wales 2000 title and later flew to the Maldives to compete in Miss World.

Ms Cahill, of Beachley, Chepstow, denies wounding with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm and an alternative charge of wounding.

The trial continues.