A WOMAN who pushed a 76-year-old woman causing her to fall down stairs has been jailed for 20 months.

Anne Jones was told by a judge that her victim had been vulnerable and had suffered serious injuries, including breaking her shoulder and wrist, which landed her in hospital for five days.

Jones, aged 47, originally denied inflicting grievous bodily harm and, after a trial in March, a jury was unable to agree a verdict and a re-trial was arranged.

When she returned to Liverpool Crown Court for the retrial she changed her plea to guilty.

Gerald Jones, prosecuting, told the court that she admitted the offence on the basis there had been a verbal disagreement and had pushed her but had not pushed her down stairs and had not intended she should be injured.

He said that the incident happened on March 10 last year when Ruby Ganley and her husband were in the Peake Fitness Social Club in Leigh, having a drink and watching a Manchester United v Tottenham game on the television.

At about 6.30pm Jones and her male companion began making a drunken nuisance of themselves and he started singing offensive songs. When asked to stop he called out "Manchester scum".

Jones also started being offensive shouting: "Leigh scum, you don't know who I am. I'm from Wigan."

While at the bar Jones began having a go at Mrs Ganley, who was next to her, and the owner suggested Mrs Ganley move further down the bar out of her way.

They both ended up in the toilets at the same time and Jones asked what she was looking at, shocking Mrs Ganley.

Jones went back upstairs and, as Mrs Ganley tried to get past her at the top of the stairs, Jones pushed her with both hands on the upper part of her chest and she fell down the short staircase.

She put her hand out to break her fall but landed badly with her full body weight on her outstretched hands and lay on the floor screaming out in pain and lost consciousness.

“She suffered a displaced wrist fracture and her shoulder was also broken and she had to undergo surgery in hospital to insert plates in her wrist,” said Mr Jones.

Brian McKenna, defending, said Jones, of Castle Street, Tyldesley, had had an alcohol problem but while on remand has decided to stay away from drink after her release.

The court heard she has previous convictions including racially aggravated harassment, disorderly behaviour and obstruction.