Acquittal ends blondes' battle

Victoria Clapham says she did not know a dress she wore had previously been given to Bridget Masters. Photo / Facebook

Bridget Rose Masters celebrates her 21st birthday next week and she could not have got a better present than today's acquittal on an assault charge in a case dubbed the "Battle of the Blondes".

A jury in Wellington District Court this afternoon cleared Masters of wounding Victoria Clapham with intent to injure after the two blonde-haired women rowed at Wellington's Temperance bar 11 months ago over a silver dress.

The court was told that Masters took exception to Ms Clapham wearing the dress she got from her boyfriend Matthew Vibert.

Mr Vibert had bought the dress in America for his then girlfriend Masters but she left it behind when their relationship broke up.

Masters and Ms Clapham each threw their drinks at the other during a brawl in the bar's bathroom before Masters' empty champagne flute hit 22-year-old Ms Clapham on the head.

The glass shattered, leaving the victim bleeding and in need of stitches for cuts to her chest.

The crown claimed that Masters threw the glass at Ms Clapham aiming to cause her actual bodily harm.

But the defence was Masters did not hit Ms Clapham intentionally - and the jury found in her favour after three-and-half hours deliberation.

After being confined to the cells awaiting the outcome, Masters sobbed when the verdict was delivered and was comforted by family and friends - including a new boyfriend.

"The truth will come out," she said outside the court.

Her relieved mother, Tracey Masters, said the family had been through much stress and "huge expense" over almost a year.

Stepfather Dave Masters expressed faith in the justice system. "It does work."

But he hit out against the wide media interest in the case.

Mr Masters said he had been working next door to Sir Peter Jackson this week during the celebrations over the announcement that The Hobbit would be filmed in New Zealand.

He was "embarrassed" that publicity over his daughter's trial had overtaken that.

Mr Vibert, 25, is now living in Australia and it was believed Ms Clapham left New Zealand, after giving evidence at the trial.

The whereabouts of the blood-stained dress was unknown.

It had been a gift to Masters from Mr Vibert but a few months later the couple's 18-month relationship ended.

The court was told Masters left the dress in Mr Vibert's wardrobe following the break-up.

Ms Clapham saw it there, liked it and wore it on a night out with Mr Vibert at what Judge Andrew Becroft described at the trial as the "inappropriately named" Temperance Bar.

"There was not much temperance that night," he said.

- NZPA