Cork tanning salon staff member was bitten on face by customer 

A tanning studio in Charleville was the scene for an assault by a woman who bit a member of staff on the face, and now the culprit has been given a jail sentence.

Vanessa Kelly, aged 30, appeared at Cork Circuit Criminal Court by video link from prison where she seemed to be in a state of some distress. She adjusted the camera at one stage to point it at prison officers in the background.

She also clutched a rolled up duvet during her court appearance, and flicked the flame on a cigarette lighter.

Judge Helen Boyle took account of time Kelly had already spent in custody on this assault. A sentence of two years was backdated to November 2025 and the second year of the sentence was suspended.

Garda Ray Massey outlined the background to the assault at the tanning studio in Charleville, Co Cork, on February 6, 2025.

“After using a tanning bed, Vanessa Kelly attempted to put on her runners,” he said.

“The laces were too tight. A woman working there tried to assist her, but after a while she had to deal with other customers.

“Vanessa Kelly caught her. She banged on the counter in a threatening manner. She struck her on the face. And during the incident, she picked up a stool. She ran at her swinging, punching, striking her face, biting the cheek of her face, banging her head against the wall. The incident was caught on CCTV.”

When Kelly was questioned, she characterised the incident as a fight rather than an assault. The skin on the victim’s face was not broken by the bite. She had to receive a tetanus injection, however. She felt scared to go into Charleville after the assault.

Defence barrister Ronan Barnes said it was an inexplicable assault and on the occasion she wanted assistance with having her laces tied.

When it was offered to her to look at the footage of the incident, she would not look at it.

She had supported accommodation from a homeless charity previously, but lost that as a result of her behaviour.

Garda Massey confirmed that when she did have accommodation, she called gardaí a number of times to report that there were people living in her attic. Mr Barnes said there was never anyone in the attic.

He said the accused had been psychiatrically examined, but was not diagnosed with a mental disorder. He said she had issues with alcohol and polydrug use.

He said: 

“Her alcohol use started at 10, which is alarmingly early. And she has been using every drug I have ever heard of. 

"She has an antisocial behaviour disorder and dependency disorder. She needs help. 

Ms Kelly’s GP says her mental health difficulties are beyond his expertise, and says she needs a psychiatrist.”