Emma Egan was convicted of assaulting a fan at a Drake concert. She is pictured leaving Manchester Magistrates Court
A drink-drive killer who was freed from jail two years early has avoided prison for launching a drunken attack on a fan at a Drake concert after her boyfriend urinated on a woman.
Former beauty therapist Emma Egan, 29, was jailed in 2014 for four years after she was convicted of killing father-of-two Eric Codling, 55.
When she was released early in July last year, Egan was hauled into custody once more after she came to blows with concert-goer Gary Tann after drinking pints of lager in February this year.
But despite being convicted of common assault while on parole she escaped prison after the court heard she had a ‘promising future’ and was making ‘significant progress’ with probation officials.
During a trial at Manchester Magistrates Court prosecutor Carl Miles revealed the assault took place after Mr Tann, his friend Kayleigh Love and two other friends had taken their seats in front of Egan and her boyfriend Fauod Elhabba, 27, at the Manchester Arena.
He said: ‘The complainants detail the amount of money and effort it took to get to the arena, with taxis and things like that. Drake had come onto the stage around 9pm but Elhabbal urinated on one of the females and an argument ensued.
‘The group stood up in front of them but Miss Egan squared up to Mr Tann and pushed him repeatedly in the face until he fell over the row in front. Security staff were informed and Mr Elhabbal was escorted from the arena. They were both subsequently arrested. In the initial interviews both defendants denied what they had done.’
Police later discovered Egan, from Dewsbury, had been on licence from prison after she mowed down and killed Mr Codling, a cyclist, while driving at almost 70mph in a 40mph zone.
Egan, whose own sister was killed by a drunk driver, was on parole until next year.
During a trial, prosecutor Carl Miles revealed the assault took place after Gary Tann took his seat with his three friends in front of Egan and her boyfriend Fauod Elhabba at the Manchester Arena
He said an argument ensued after Elhabba (left) urinated on another fan. Mr Miles added: ‘The group stood up in front of them but Miss Egan squared up to Mr Tann and pushed him repeatedly in the face until he fell over the row in front’
After the crash she stopped briefly before driving off in her Vauxhall Astra. When police found her at her boyfriend’s home, she was ‘wailing incoherently, rocking in her seat and shaking – then fell to the floor and vomited’ saying: ‘Oh God, what have I done? I’m so sorry.’
At the time Egan claimed she was ‘profoundly sorry for her actions leading to the tragedy’ and explained she had ‘been in a state of emotional turmoil’ over the ending of her relationship.
In a statement to police after the concert Mr Tann said: ‘I feel too scared and frightened to go to another concert. The Drake concert was my first but it has put me off going out with people who are drinking because of what happened to me and how their behaviour changes because of what happened at the time.
‘The security staff did not seem to know what they were doing at the time and it made me feel very unsafe. I had no injuries from the incident, but I do know that back injuries can sometimes come on later in life and I am worried that it will have an impact on any jobs I do.’
In mitigation, defence lawyer Susan Carter said Egan worked in a ‘high up’ management position while Elhabbal was a delivery driver with Hermes.
She said: ‘Miss Egan is on license in relation to a serious offence in 2014 but a report by her probation worker said her future is very promising and she has made significant progress.’
Egan was ordered to complete a 12 month community and 160 hours unpaid work, pay £200 compensation and £455 in costs and surcharges.
The former beauty therapist was jailed in 2014 for four years after she was convicted of killing a cyclist as she drove while drunk
Eric Codling (left and right with his wife and children), 55, died as a result of the crash. Karen, Mr Codling’s widow, said: ‘It’s outrageous that she has been let off when she has committed another offence related to alcohol’
Elhabbal, from Dewsbury, who was also convicted of common assault, was given 20 weeks jail suspended a year and was ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work. He also ordered to pay £200 compensation and £485 in costs and surcharges.
After the hearing, Mr Codling’s widow, Karen, said: ‘It’s outrageous that she has been let off when she has committed another offence related to alcohol. At the time she was released we were told that if she committed another misdemeanour then she would go to prison but that’s not happened. That’s not justice is it.
‘I can’t understand why this has happened. We weren’t happy with the sentence in the first place, and we thought that if she committed another crime then she would be sent back to prison. The fact is she just isn’t a very nice person and its shocking that she has gone on to commit another drink related offence so soon after being released.
‘There isn’t anything we could do about the sentence before but I would hope to be able to do something about this one. It was disgusting that it seemed Eric’s life was only worth four years in the first place.’