How would you like a punch in the nose?

. . . and a trial in military court, even though you are a civilian? Consider this case, where both the victim and the accused were British civilians in Cyprus. Excerpt:

Judge Robert Hill, sentencing, said: "Somewhere toward the end of the evening the defendant found herself in the ladies lavatory together with a number of other women. 

"One of the other women was the alleged victim, Catherine Warhurst. The allegation is there was a confrontation between the defendant and her which resulted in the defendant punching her once to the nose in the lavatory. 

"Against the background of this there was something of a melee going on at various stages." 

Judge Hill gave [Zoe] Phythian a conditional discharge for 12 months. He found that she did punch Ms Warhurst but rejected other allegations of violence. 

He agreed that she was entitled to an explanation for the late night message but was provoked by Ms Warhurst's abrupt response and her friends defending her. 

He added: "This descended into a gesture of violence of the mildest sort." 

Phythian, whose husband did not attend court today, declined to comment.

Good thinking.