A MOTHER from Colchester has been jailed for five years after slashing a woman's neck at a nightclub in London.

Leanne Bloomfield, 29, of Berkley Close, Highwoods, denied using glass to slash the neck of Natalie Walsh, 22, the daughter of Ground Force star Tommy Walsh but was found guilty following the attack last February.

Judge Peter Susman QC said: "Quite why your attack on her was so violent remains unclear to me."

The mother-of-two will serve two-and-a-half years after being sentenced for wounding with intent, serving the rest of the sentence on licence.

Supported by members of her family at court earlier today she sobbed throughout.

The court heard the attack on February 3 last year left Ms Walsh with a 5cm cut on her neck and a severed tendon in her thumb.

She required stitches and later underwent cosmetic surgery on her injuries.

Bloomfield had texted a friend after the attack to say she had had a "massive punch up with some girl", adding: "ha ha, b****, she got me good in the nose through", the court heard.

Bloomfield went on to say: "Me and my sister did a number on her, she was in a heap. They didn't catch me, ha ha."

Judge Susman said Ms Walsh's feeling of safety had been "much affected" following the attack.

He told Bloomfield she remains "in denial" as she continues to protest her innocence.

He said: "You were very tearful in the witness box.

"I form the impression it wasn't because you were sorry but because you were caught."