A mother found guilty of biting a 15-year-old girl's face has maintained her innocence and says she has suffered with depression since the assault.

Julie Gready, 38, of Monkton Avenue, Weston-super-Mare, was sentenced to a nine-month jail term suspended for 18 months on Wednesday, after being found guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm.

A three-day trial at Bristol Crown Court heard Gready grabbed the 15-year-old, squashed her throat and banged her head against a wall twice.

The court was also told that after grabbing the girl round the neck she bit her on her cheek, while holding her throat, and scratched her on her neck. The mother-of-four, who pleaded not guilty throughout the trial, received 18 months of supervision and was also ordered to complete up to 30 days of anger management training.

Imposing the sentence, Judge Susan Darwall-Smith told Gready: "You completely lost your temper."

She said it was frightening not only to the victim but to other children.

During the trial Mark Hollier, prosecuting, said the victim had stated she used to be a confident and bubbly person but had not really gone out after the assault and had since found it hard to trust people.

Sarah Regan, defending, told the court: "Ms Gready regrets injury caused to the child.

"She accepts she has problems with her temper.

"There have been problems on both sides following this matter, and she has reported to police threats to her younger daughter initiated by text."

Speaking exclusively to the Post after the trial, Gready denied biting the girl.

She said: "I just did what any mum would have done.

"I am not a half-crazed woman.

"I may have tattoos but I'm no mad woman.

"Her story of events is totally different to mine.

"I was shocked to be found guilty. I could not believe it and never thought it would go that far to court.

"I handed the barrister so many references, even from my ex-husband."

Julie says the ordeal had been hard.

She said her chances of getting a job in special needs care had now been lost due to her criminal conviction.

She added: "It's been a tough time and I have been really upset by it.

"I've lost weight and I am on anti-depressants now.

"It has pulled a lot of the stuffing out of me."