Hi. I was on my way home after a night out in town. Me and a friend went to a takeaway and ordered chips. I had drunk a lot of alcohol and was quite merrily sizzled as it had been a friends birthday. While we were waiting, a drunk and loud brazen young woman came and stood in the doorway, she was shouting excessively and targeted me a few times with “you lesbian” ****ing lesbian” and other obscenities which in my head I tried to ignore, ate a few chips and waited for my friend to get her food.

This girl was being very aggressive. She was with a group of people too, including another girl I noticed. Me and my friend left the shop, a few seconds later I was on the floor, I had been hit on the head and pushed from behind and there were people all around me. I couldn’t get up due to people hitting me, I wasn’t sure if it was just one girl or some men and women. When I got up I looked around dazed and saw the girl. I was petrified and angry. She was still shouting at me “who do you think you are” And other abuse. I didn’t want to turn my back from her for fear of being pounced on again. She was looking straight at me, and stepped towards me. As a reaction in defense, I immediately threw a punch back in her direction. With men between us trying to separate the girl from me, but I was thrown on the floor again, this time with the other girl aiming kicks at my head. Finally I was dragged by my hair and thrown across the floor.

Ambulance turned up , my head was bleeding badly. I had to have my head glued and had a huge three pronged scratch down my forehead, various bruising, grabmarks. The other two girls were arrested for assault, it took 4 police officers to get one in the van. I went to hospital.

Few days later I went to the police station as they had contacted me and I went in expecting to make a statement as a victim. Upon my arrival, I was arrested on suspicion of affray and have since been charged with affray alongside the other two girls. This is due to the punch they have seen me make on CCTV.

Nobody has yet recognised that I was followed out of the shop, pounced on (seen in CCTV) and sustained injuries as a victim. I was called a ‘protagonist’ in court. My friend who was with me throughout the event (and who also phoned the police while it was happening was never contacted. I didn’t accuse the girl of saying I was a *** lesbian in my statement as I wasn’t totally sure she aimed it at me (that’s me wishful thinking)– (it’s a big thing to accuse someone of doing it) but my witness can confirm it – however she was never considered as a source of info.

Now I have to go to crown court as my solicitor advised me ‘not guilty’ plea which I am happy about – the other 2 have been charged and given curfew orders. I however work with disabled people, have never been in trouble with police before, work with young people, and a conviction could potentially ruin my career as a care worker and teacher. I am absolutely gutted.

What I thought was an instinctive reaction to my attacker lunging at me (the punch I made) I oh so regret now, as I am seen to be an equal aggressor in this incident. I am highly depressed and anxious as I have never been assaulted in such a violent manner, only to be given equal blame in all of it. I cant believe I have to go to crown court, and I’m afraid the judges will give me a sentence, I’m unbelievably petrified. I’ve felt so guilty about what I’ve done, and the police have classed me a guilty criminal.