A YOUNG woman who was spared jail for attacking her ex-boyfriend after they split up has told how she is turning her life around.

Megan Mowles, 22, sneaked into the close where former partner Gary Jones lived and clawed at his face.

She dug her nails into his face and neck when he ran outside his flat to chase after his dog, which had escaped as friends arrived at his home.

Mowles, who is originally from Barrhead but now lives in Lang Street, Paisley, could have been jailed for the offence at Paisley Sheriff Court earlier this year but was placed on a Community Payback Order (CPO).

And she has now revealed she has secured a work placement with an unnamed magazine, is organising an event for the homeless in George Square, Glasgow, and feels she has to “shoot for the stars” to try to turn her life around.

Mowles made an emotional speech from the dock during a CPO review hearing as she admitted breaching the order by working at the magazine rather than complying with the instructions she had been given by the court.

The CPO had been imposed in February over Mowles’ attack on Mr Jones, which took place in Ladyburn Street, Paisley, at about 2.30pm last November 28.

Defence solicitor Matt Coyle said she had breached the structured punishment because she misunderstood how it worked.

The lawyer explained: “She appears bright, enthusiastic and cheery but I managed to reduce her to tears in about a minute when I explained to her what a serious situation she is in.

“She is working for a magazine. I call it a job but it is akin to slavery – it is an unpaid apprenticeship. I think it’s what they call ‘an internship’ in London.

“She is young and really has completely no idea how a Community Payback Order is really meant to work and was not aware she was given a big chance.

“I think she thought ‘I’ve got 16 months [to do the CPO], I can sort my life out, get a job and then I can do this order.’

“It seemed to me if she had a mum and dad at home they would be saying ‘come on, pet, get 
this done.’

“It seems to reflect the absence of guidance available to her.”

As she extended the length of the CPO by two months and took no action against Mowles for breaching it, Sheriff Frances McCartney told her:

“You’ve got to understand what a serious situation you’re in.

“It amounts to nothing more than voluntary work, working for this magazine.

“Supervision is there to help you. You must use the chance you’ve got to speak to social workers to get help.”

Mowles is set to return to the dock next month for another review of her progress on 
the CPO.