SAINT JOHN - It was a stagette party that went wrong, said Crown prosecutor Patrick Wilbur. In fact, the pre-celebration of a pending marriage became a near riot on March 8.

It was 3:30 a.m. and the bars had just closed. Staff at the Lemongrass restaurant were trying to clear customers out of the establishment when the bride-to-be and the mother of the bride became verbally abusive and refused to leave.

"Apparently, this was a stagette party," Wilbur told provincial court.

Deanna Marie Basque, the mother of the bride, began screaming and yelling and refused to leave. The bride also joined in and heaped abuse on the staff.

"It would appear mother and daughter have a similar temperament," Wilbur said.

Staff at the Lemongrass called police and when officers arrived, some 50 people had gathered outside the bar. When police tried to detain some of the more intoxicated individuals, a near riot ensued. It was closing time and the yelling and screaming had attracted inebriated patrons from a number of area establishments.

"That just went from bad to worse," the prosecutor said.

Some people in the Princess Street melee actually began to jump on the backs of police officers.

Basque, who has no record, wrote a letter of apology to the police officer she wrestled with. She was originally charged with assaulting a police officer and obstruction. The Crown dropped those charges, but the charge of causing a disturbance remained. She pleaded guilty to that charge and avoided a trial.

"She's very embarrassed to be in court," defence lawyer David Kelly said.

The 41-year-old woman also had her nose broken in the brawl.

Judge William McCarroll said he thought a charitable donation would be a fitting fine.

"Some sort of police program, since the police were jumped on and pummeled," the judge said.

The judge eventually handed down a conditional discharge, six months probation, and ordered Basque to donate $200 to the police department's DARE program.

"By the way, did the wedding ever happen?" McCarroll said.

"Yes," she replied.