Trans woman jailed for Glasgow bottle attack on teenager
The fight happened outside a nightclub at 4am
A transgender woman who scarred a teenager for life in a glass bottle attack outside a nightclub in Glasgow is being jailed for 14 months.
Raphael De Sousa, 40, lashed out at Steven Faulds, 19, in the city centre on December 19 2016. when an argument in the street turned physical.
De Sousa went on to take the bottle out of a bin and hit Mr Faulds with it causing a small wound which required stiches.
De Sousa appeared in the dock at Glasgow Sheriff Court wearing an oversized long Snoopy top.
4am fight
The first offender pled guilty under provocation to the assault to Mr Faulds' severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
Sheriff Brian Cameron said: “Given the nature of the charge you pled guilty to, and in particular this was a broken bottle which led to Mr Faulds receiving a severe injury and was permanently disfigured, there is no alternative to a custodial sentence.”
The court initially heard that the pair - who were "strangers" - formed part of a group emerging onto Glassford Street at 4am.
Prosecutor Mark Allan said: "For reasons unknown, there was an exchange of words and an argument turned into a physical fight."
The short fight, which was captured on CCTV and shown to the court, took place from one end of the road to the other.
It was eventually split up by others but the pair remained close by after it.
Mr Allan: "De Sousa took a bottle from a bin there and there was a short chase of Mr Faulds.
"She struck him on the face with the broken glass bottle she had taken from the bin."
De Sousa was restrained by a member of the public until police arrived.
Provocation claim
After being cautioned and charged De Sousa said: "Everything was wrong, he assaulted me."
Mr Faulds was treated meantime for a small wound to his forehead above his eye which required five stiches.
Mr Allan added: "He will be left with a scare at the wound site."
Paul Langan, defending, told the sentencing that De Sousa will return home to Rome at the end of her sentencing.
The lawyer said: “The background report says De Sousa and Mr Faulds met several days earlier.
“Me Faulds made a discovery and there was an incident and there was a further incident on the Saturday when he spat at her and she spat back.
“We saw the incident and she was knocked to the ground and she reacted in a way she shouldn’t have done.
“She was born in Brazil and moved to Italy where she began her transgender journey - she has been married for nine years.
“She has her own business in hair technology and does concierge work.”
Hear the latest news on Clyde 1 on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.