A CRIMINOLOGY student pushed over another woman in a fit of anger, causing her a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain, a court heard.

Victim Kimberley Casagranda was initially described as having life-threatening injuries, but had since made a full recovery, Bradford Crown Court was told.

The court heard that her attacker, 20-year-old Kerry-jo Spencer, was an intelligent woman who had studied criminology at university and was now considering a degree in business management.

Prosecutor Marie Harbin said the assault happened on December 8 last year outside Candy's night club in Sackville Street in Bradford city centre.

The complainant was found on the ground with blood coming out of her ears. She was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary where she was detained for 72 hours.

She initially suffered some hearing loss and had a limited recollection of what happened due to the extent of her injuries.

The defendant fully admitted the offence and said she had lost her head and did not intend to cause serious injury.

Spencer, of St Enoch's Road, Wibsey, Bradford, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.

Her barrister, Jayne Beckett, told the court yesterday it had effectively been one push, and not even a punch, and the serious consequences were explained by the complainant hitting her head on the kerb.

Mrs Beckett said her client had a row in the club with her partner and became angry when the complainant got involved.

"Her anger got the better of her," Mrs Beckett said.

Mrs Beckett said Spencer had been "nothing but frank" and was "as chastened as it is possible to be".

Sentencing Spencer to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years, Recorder Paul Camp said she had surrendered herself to police, made a full confession, pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and been remorseful from the start.

The judge told her: "I am absolutely certain you never intended your victim to sustain those serious injuries, but you must have perceived some injury.

"Thank heavens your victim did not die, she might have.

"On occasions, single blows or single pushes do cause very serious injury, and indeed death, because people do hit their heads on pavements.

"It's often said people are remorseful. It is rarely true, but in this case it is plainly genuinely true.

"You are plainly a person who normally cares about other people."

Spencer was ordered to carry out 180 hours unpaid community worker and a 30-day activity requirement, and ordered to pay £2,500 compensation to her victim, at £200 per month.