Drunken horse rider, 22, who smashed her glamorous rival in the face with a gin glass after a day at the racetrack, scarring her for life, cries in court as she is spared a jail sentence

A horse rider who left a glamorous rival with life-long scars in a drunken “glassing” attack after a day at the racetrack burst into tears as she was acquitted by a judge – to the fury of her victim.

Mia Troake, 22, smashed fellow rider Felicity Calveley in the face with a gin glass after provoking her in a restaurant because the victim was with her boyfriend.

Shortly before the attack, Troake, who works in childcare, asked: “Do you want to f**k my boyfriend?” to which Miss Calveley casually replied: “Yes, I want to f**k him.”

Troake then hurled the glass and its stem into the victim's face, cutting her upper lip and leaving shards of glass in her face.

Estate agent Miss Calveley, from Tarporley in Cheshire, required five stitches and subsequently lost her job because she had to take time off work and lost her self-confidence following the attack.

Felicity Calveley (pictured) had to have stitches in her face after the violent attack

Troake avoided a prison sentence after Chester Crown Court found she was unsafe

She said: “The scar on my face is a constant reminder of the attack and often leads to questions from others, forcing me to recount the traumatic event over and over again.”

“For months after the incident, even smiling was painful, which severely affected my ability to express joy. I suffered from extreme anxiety, especially in social situations. The sound of breaking glass triggers panic attacks and I have difficulty relaxing in crowded spaces.

“I have been diagnosed with mild PTSD and am receiving online cognitive behavioral therapy to manage symptoms. I can only go to bars or restaurants with trusted friends, which limits my social contacts and support network. The emotional burden of retelling the story of the attack hinders my ability to make new social contacts.

“Professionally, I took three months off from my job as a real estate agent because I didn't feel comfortable viewing people's houses. Ultimately, this led to my dismissal. I found another, similar job, but had to leave due to persistent confidence issues and an inability to perform to my previous level.”

Ms Calveley is angry that her attacker did not go to prison for the violent attack

Ms Calveley suffered from anxiety following the attack, which meant she was unable to return to work

At Chester Crown Court, Troake, of Longwell Green, near Bristol, faced up to three years in prison under sentencing guidelines after admitting wounding with intent but weeping in the dock as she was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for life, ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,000 compensation to Miss Calveley.

The victim, who attended the trial with her current boyfriend, said afterwards: “The fact that she gets away with 100 hours of unpaid work does not affect her in any way. The fact is that she gets away with it so easily. I am so disappointed that this justice is being done to me.”

The incident occurred on September 24, 2022, after Troake, then 20, who was living in Chester at the time, went out for a drink following the city's season finale of racing.

Prosecutor Tom McLoughln said: “Felicity Calveley was the ex-partner of the defendant's boyfriend at the time of the crime. On the evening in question they attended two parties at the Church Cafe in Newgate Street, Chester.

“Relationships between the two groups were civilised. They basically said 'hello' and then parted ways. However, a short time later the defendant approached Miss Calveley and appeared to be drunk. The defendant had a gin glass in his hand and asked Miss Calveley 'Do you want to fuck him?' referring to the boyfriend.

“Miss Calveley said 'yes, I want to fuck him' or something to that effect and the situation then escalated dramatically. The defendant hit Miss Calveley in the face with a gin glass and said 'fuck you'. Miss Calveley noticed that she had fluid on her face but thought it was fluid from the glass. She suddenly realised it was her own blood.”

Troake had no previous convictions. In mitigating her sentence, lawyer Peter Barnett said his client had since separated from her boyfriend and added: “It seems quite clear that she had insecurities about her relationship and her then partner at the time.”

“This attack was obviously impulsive, it was obviously not planned, it was a one-time blow. She was immature and had no life experience. In conversations with the probation officer she showed clear remorse.”

In passing sentence, the judge, Mr Recorder Eric Lamb, also made a restraining order against Troake prohibiting her from having any contact with Miss Calveley for an indefinite period.

He told her: “The effects of what you did to Felicity Calveley were long-lasting and significant.”

“Miss Calveley has made it clear that your actions have left her plagued by anxiety and fear. They have left her with a mild form of post-traumatic stress disorder which she can only overcome through cognitive behavioural therapy.

“Not only did she suffer medically, but she also suffered many serious consequences. Her social life was affected, her work was disrupted for months and it had a direct impact on her finances.”

“All of this is a direct result of you drinking too much over the course of a day and choosing to confront someone you clearly viewed as your rival.”