They came together in the morning crush of commuters bustling through Union Station for the GO train.

Michael Beline was hurrying to his job as an elementary teacher in Durham Region.

Christine Bedford, a customer service representative, was also on her way to Track 4A. She had a fresh coffee in her hand.

Suddenly, the two strangers were together in the crowd. Beline thinks he might have cut ahead of her. What he remembers is her angry voice, saying, "Don't you f---ing cut me off."

He turned toward the voice and the woman threw the contents of her coffee cup in his face.

"I suffered second-degree burns," the 30-year-old Annex resident said of the April 9, 2008 incident. "I even had burns at the tip of my eyelids. It was quite severe."

Yesterday Bedford, 58, pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm, reduced from the aggravated assault charge she originally faced.

"It was just an impulsive act," her lawyer, Stephanie Heyens, told the court, stressing that her client has no criminal record.

Provincial Court Justice Bruno Cavion was not impressed. "Either she's insane or she's evil, one or the other," he said, demanding further explanation for Bedford's conduct.

Heyens said the victim probably jostled Bedford or cut her off. "She acted in an irrational manner" and is remorseful, Heyens said.

Court was told Bedford has two grown children and works on the phone in customer service at a pharmaceutical company.

"She deals with people?" asked the judge incredulously.

"She is quite well-known for her ability to deal with people on the phone," Heyens said.

The judge accepted a joint recommendation from Heyens and prosecutor Meghan Scott for a suspended sentence, 12 months probation and restitution of $1,500 – part of which will go to Beline. Cavion ordered Bedford to pay $500 to a hospital of her choice to make up for the "aggravation" caused to the one that treated Beline.

Beline told court he continued on his way to work after the attack, but a colleague on the train persuaded him to seek medical attention. He was treated at Ajax and Pickering hospital, where Durham police interviewed him and took photos of his injuries.

"I lost two layers of skin. My summer was ruined," he said, adding he had to wear a wide-brimmed hat and drop out of dragon boat races.

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Beline said he has recovered from the facial burns but is concerned he might get skin cancer in the future.

Some psychological effects linger, he added. "I'm a little tense going to work. At first it was a little difficult to go near people who had coffee."