A FATHER and daughter who beat and bit a 17-year-old girl as well as hitting her in the face with a vodka bottle have been handed suspended jail sentences for what magistrates described as one of the most vicious assaults they have had to deal with.

Edwin Wills, 61, of Fitzsimmons Close, Helston, and Stacey Wills, of King Charles Street, Falmouth, appeared before magistrates at Truro this morning to be sentenced for the assault, which took place at Mr Wills' house on March 11 this year.

The pair, who the court heard had at one point hit their victim in the face with a vodka bottle, had been found guilty at a trial on June 7.

Alison May, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said according to the victim's testimony she had been invited to the house and had been given a drink but did not like it and did not have any more. The court then heard that Mr Wills continued drinking, and the victim said that "the more he drinks the more aggressive he becomes."

When the victim said she was unhappy and wanted to go home, Mr Wills refused to take her, so she took the car keys to drive herself away, despite having no licence or experience of driving a car.

The court heard that after the victim was brought back inside, Miss Wills had pinned her to a bed in the house and sat on her, punching her in the face and pulling her hair so hard that some of it came out. She was also struck four or five times by Mr Wills.

She escaped and ran to a neighbour who, the court was told, described finding her outside their house in a "dishevelled, distressed, upset state."

When questioned by police, Mr Wills denied the assault, saying he had simply been trying to separate the two women, while Miss Wills admitted to fighting but said she could not remember much due to the alcohol she had drunk.

Ms May said when the victim gave a statement to police, she told them: "I don't want to cause trouble, but I'm upset. I know this isn't normal."

The court heard representations from Mr Wills' solicitor, Elliott Moore, who said the original trial had been flawed as the victim had not been present to give evidence or be cross examined on her story.

He said that this had left him "with one hand tied behind my back," and added: "Whatever the conclusion today in sentence I don't think this is a case that will conclude today."

Mr Moore also said in mitigation that although his client had "issues in terms of alcohol" he had recognised that it did not help a medical condition he has and he had managed to halve his consumption.

Stacey Will's solicitor said her client "certainly didn't appear to come out of this incident unscathed" and referred to evidence she had also been injured in the fight.

She also said her client had, until recently "had not been particularly honest with herself" about her own drinking problem, but she had now contacted Addaction and was seeking residential help.

The chairman of the magistrates, Fiona Roberts, gave both defendants a 16 week suspended prison sentence with £450 costs and £85 victim surcharge, but with no compensation to be paid to the victim.