A neighbourly dispute came to a violent conclusion with one woman hitting another on the head with a metal wrench.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard the attack on October 3, 2023, was witnessed by the victim’s children, who she said were deeply upset by what they had seen.
Bliss Crossland, 36, of Pilmuir Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Cherelle Brown causing her actual bodily harm, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and assaulting an emergency worker.
She was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months and ordered to complete a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 120 days alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement.
She was also ordered to pay £200 compensation to Miss Brown.
Deputy District Judge Jayne Bryan said she accepted the offence was out of character by Crossland, who had no previous convictions.
“However, arming yourself with a weapon such as a wrench while under the influence of alcohol is serious,” she said.
“You are lucky that when you hit her with the wrench, in front of her children, you didn’t cause more serious injuries.”
Graeme Tindall, prosecuting, said it was the Crown’s case Crossland emerged from her house carrying the wrench and confronted the victim.
“Miss Brown says the first thing the defendant did was hit her on the head with it,” said Mr Tindall.
He said there had been incidents between the two women in the past and Miss Brown accepted she had been at fault on occasions.
“That being said, on this day she was hit on the head with a wrench and it is fortunate the injuries, swelling and bruising were not far more serious,” Mr Tindall added.
He said the assault on the police officer had taken place at the police station when Crossland had thrown a shoe at the officer, hitting her on the head.
Simon Farnsworth, in mitigation, said there had been long-standing problems between the two families although his client had no idea how it all started.
“It has been going on for about four years and has caused both sides a degree of distress,” said Mr Farnsworth.
“There have been numerous complaints and counter-complaints and neither side comes out with any credit.“
Mr Farnsworth said matters came to a head when a brick was thrown through his client’s window showering one of her children with glass.
She called the police but nobody came and she became agitated and started drinking.
“Her memory is that she decided to go and confront the other woman and took the wrench for her own protection,” said Mr Farnsworth.
“In the clear light of day, she knows she should not have done that.”
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