A drunken woman left a young Carlisle off-licence worker bleeding after slamming a whisky bottle into her head.

Lisa Taylor stormed behind the counter of Bargain Booze, Denton Holme, on September 29. She initially throttled student employee Sophie Harris before attacking her with a whisky bottle she swiped from a shelf.

Carlisle Crown Court heard Miss Harris, 20, suffered a head wound and received hospital treatment. She later had "vivid and repetitive nightmares" about the shocking attack, which was captured on store CCTV.

Taylor, 43, admitted attempting to wound her victim with intent, and assaulting a police officer on a later date.

Details of her off-licence attack were provided by prosecutor Tim Evans. He said Miss Harris was approached by Taylor, who seemed "heavily drunk" and was slurring her words.

She said she was a counsellor and offered contact details which Miss Harris accepted "just to be polite".

Taylor briefly left the shop before returning with that information. Miss Harris hoped that would be the end of it but then saw a "shocked and fearful look" on a colleague's face as Taylor trespassed behind the counter.

"The defendant grabbed hold of the complainant's neck with both hands and was squeezing, pushing the complainant backwards towards the window," said Mr Evans.

"She and her colleague were screaming. She was trying to get free to press the panic button but didn't have the strength.

"The defendant then grabbed a bottle of whisky off the shelf and came towards the complainant with a look across her face as if she wanted to kill her. She stuck her across the head with the bottle."

As Miss Harris realised she was "soaked" with her own blood, Taylor then grabbed her again. As her colleague pressed the panic button Taylor walked "calmly" out of the shop. She was arrested by police in the city centre.

Clare Thomas, defending, spoke of mum-of-three Taylor's "severe alcohol dependence" and "significant mental health problems".

The assault occurred during a drinking "binge", said Miss Thomas, who added: "She can't explain why she reacted the way that she did.

"She is devastated of her behaviour, she is horrified. She is extremely sorry and would wish to apologise, and would wish the court to know that apology is genuine."

Judge Barbara Forrester adjourned the case for a week to seek more background information. In the meantime Taylor, of Grosvenor Place, Stanwix, was remanded in custody.