A hot-tub party ended with hospital treatment and a court appearance when a woman was assaulted by her long term friend in her garden.

Stacey Keeble, 29, of Harbour Way, Hakin, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates for sentencing on Wednesday, after previously pleading guilty to assaulting Stacey Phillips, causing actual bodily harm on April 16 at in Milford Haven.

The court heard that the two Staceys had been best friends for15 years and were enjoying a pleasant evening in Miss Phillips’ hot tub on the night in question.

The party moved to a hot tub in the neighbouring garden as more people arrived, but Keeble became upset about an incident while Miss Phillips returned to her house, and wanted to leave.

Miss Phillips tried to hug Keeble over the fence separating the two properties, and wanted her to stay, but failed to calm her down, and Keeble told her to get off and leave her alone.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said: “The defendant pulled her in to the fence and immediately seemed to lose control and started to hit her in the face with the hand holding the mobile phone.”

Miss Phillips was left with a cut on her forehead which had to be glued, grazes, bruising and a wound to the side of her head which required six stitches.

Witnesses claimed that she was hit nine or ten times during a sustained assault, and her children, who had woken up, were distressed to see their mother with blood all over her face.

Jonathan Webb, defending, told the court that Keeble had only consumed three drinks between 6pm and the incident which occurred at around 2am, and was ‘in essence, stone-cold sober’.

He said: “Miss Keeble and her partner found themselves in a situation that they were not comfortable with at all.

“Both wanted to leave as soon as possible.”

Mr Webb added that Keeble, a mother-of-three, accepted that she had recklessly caused the injuries to Miss Phillips, but had not intended to use the phone as a weapon, and there had been no more than four blows.

She went home in her swimwear in the early hours of the morning after leaving the property without her belongings.

The court heard that efforts had been made to re-kindle the friendship since the incident, and Keeble was remorseful for her actions.

Keeble who had a previous conviction for violence, was warned by magistrates that they had considered sending her to prison, as they sentenced her to an 18 month community order with a 25 day rehabilitation activity requirement.

A nine week 8pm to 7am tagged curfew was imposed and Keeble was ordered to pay £250 compensation to the victim, plus £170 in costs and charges.