A mum who was racist towards a group of Asian men before physically attacking another woman has been spared jail because she needs to look after her son.

Shiobhan Cahill, 28, hurled racist slurs at some Asian men at West Ham tube station, in east London, on October 7 in 2018.

Another commuter, Lisa Wogan, saw the row and was worried Cahill might get hurt if one of the men lost their temper over the racism.

Ms Wogan tried to get Cahill to calm down but the mum-of-three turned on her ‘in the most vicious way’.

Ms Wogan is now suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and will need plastic surgery because of the damage caused by the attack, Inner London Crown Court heard.

The judge told Cahill: ‘The state you were in whether through drink or drugs or mental illness, I don’t know, but you were out of control and your attack was appalling.’

Cahill admitted racially aggravated wounding and affray but Judge Nigel Sangster QC suspended her two-year prison because she had to care for her severely ill one-year-old son.

Judge Sangster also said he had taken into account how difficult the last three years had been for Cahill who became the sole, full-time carer for her son and lost the dad of her eldest child in a car crash.

On top of this, Cahill was grieving over her dad killing himself just 10 days before her hearing.

Judge Sangster told Cahill: ‘If those things hadn’t happened to you over the last three years I would have sent you straight to prison.’

Cahill’s defence lawyer said: ‘[Cahill] has been doing counselling since this incident to partly figure out why she behaved in the way that she did. She is in disbelief.

‘An immediate custodial sentence would have an impact on her mental wellbeing. She has been diagnosed with various conditions, OCD, seasonal anxiety disorder, depression.

‘She is the expert on her child and to take her away from their children, particularly the youngest, would cause unimaginable upheaval in their lives.’

Cahill was ordered to complete 30 days of rehabilitation. She does not have to pay any costs or compensation because she does not work.

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