A glamour model has dodged jail over a vicious revenge attack on a teaching assistant who accused her children of being bullies.
Lorna Silcock, 33, dragged Kayleigh Rutherford to the ground in a public park before she pulled out clumps of her hair, headbutted her and repeatedly punched and kicked her.
Mum-of-five Silcock - who models under the name 'Luscious Lorna' - attacked her victim during the Easter holidays in front of Miss Rutherford’s baby and 12-year-old daughter.
In the run up to the assault on April 10 last year, Miss Rutherford, who works at a primary school in Macclesfield, Cheshire, had berated Silcock's youngsters after they had been teasing her daughter - but they responded: ''Our mum's gonna batter you.''
In a statement the victim, who suffered a concussion, black eyes and a dislocated finger, said: ''It left me feeling unsafe to leave home in fear of something like that happening again. It left me feeling isolated. I have been sent home from work due to panic attacks and fear of leaving the house.
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“The children saw me crying after the assault and for weeks I could not string a sentence together. I kept forgetting what I was talking about. My daughter witnessed the assault whilst screaming and crying. She’s only young and should not have to witness something like that. She does not want to see me go anywhere alone in case I get hurt again, she wants to take up boxing to defend herself and protect me. I have felt completely rundown every day, both mentally and emotionally, I just want to get back to my normal self.”
Kayleigh Rutherford was beaten to the ground in a public park (Kayleigh Rutherford/ Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)
Lorna Silcock (left) and Atlanta Hewitt leaving Chester Magistrates court (Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)At Chester Crown Court, Silcock - a beautician from Macclesfield who models on the subscription website Exclusive Link - admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for 18 months with a requirement to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days.
Her friend Atlanta Hewitt, 30, also of Macclesfield who was pregnant at the time of the assault, was sentenced to 26 weeks, suspended for 12 months, along with 25 rehabilitation days. Both were ordered to pay £100 in costs and were made subject to a five-year restraining order banning them from contacting Miss Rutherford.
Joanne Moore prosecuting said: “The whole incident appeared to have started on a previous date when Miss Silcock’s children had been abusive to Miss Rutherford’s daughter. They sent her messages and the messages became heated. Miss Rutherford who was with her baby saw her eldest daughter, who is 12 years old, playing unaccompanied in the park and went to check on her in light of her being abused a few days previously.
''When she arrived at the park, she recognised some teenagers who had been abusive to the child, calling her a slag. As she approached her daughter, the teenagers said something and she said ‘I will speak to your mum’ - but they became abusive and felt intimidated. They said, ‘Our mum is going to batter you’ and at this point, Miss Hewitt comes out of Silcock’s address, holding a baby, followed by Miss Silcock. Miss Hewitt went up to Miss Rutherford and in her face said ‘What’s your problem?’”
Miss Moore said that Hewitt then swung around and handed the baby to someone standing behind her before going back to Miss Rutherford and then both women started attacking her.
“She was repeatedly punched by one female while the other female punched and pulled her hair,” Miss Moore said, “At some point she fell to the floor. When she tried to get up, she was kicked in the shoulder area by Hewitt. Silcock pinned her to the floor and put her leg over her neck.
“‘Have you had enough yet?’ she said. She then headbutted her. As she tried to stand up she felt Hewitt kick her in the side and punch her in the head. Miss Silcock was still on top of her. Her hand was on top of her neck. She bit down to try and get her off. At that point she remembers Miss Silcock being pulled off her.
Mother-of-five Lorna Silcock launched her attack in a park (Lorna Silcock/ Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)“Miss Rutherford was taken to her mum's address for assistance and later attended A&E. She had concussion, bruising to her face, a broken ring finger on her left hand which needed to be reset. She also needs hand therapy. She was suffering hair loss from the hair being pulled. “When she made an initial statement about the assault, she said it had affected her life. She said she had not been eating or sleeping properly. She was scared to enter the park.
“She said her 12-year-old daughter had witnessed the incident. While she was putting on a brave face, she said she knew it had affected her. She said other children were affected by having to witness the bruising on her face. It has affected her mum and dad. Her mum had not long had a heart attack and this added to her anxiety.
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“One witnesses described Miss Rutherford being effectively set upon. She described Silcock running out of the house and both her and Hewitt attacking her and taking her to the floor, punching, kicking and head-butting her. She saw Miss Rutherford being punched several times in the face.
''There were numerous children in the vicinity when Miss Rutherford was being assaulted. She had her baby in a pram and her 12-year-old child was also present. The effects of this are still ongoing, especially since, unfortunately, other people have taken it upon themselves to shout names at her in the street because she has come to court.”
In mitigation for Silcock, who has three girls and two boys aged between 16 and six, defence counsel Nicholas Kerruish-Jones said: “This incident should not have happened - but feelings were running high on part of Miss Silcock. There was an issue that concerned her children and it's fair to say her emotions got the better of her. She says she regrets it. She had no wish to get involved in a fight with Miss Rutherford but the situation spun out of control.''
Sentencing, Miss Recorder Karen Ridge said: ''Miss Rutherford was dragged to the floor, her hair was pulled, she was punched to the face, causing significant bruising, and was headbutted. All of these took place in the presence of her baby and daughter. It must have been a truly frightening experience for those who witnessed this incident. The violence that was used was unlawful and cannot in any way be excused. Miss Rutherford has been affected and continues to be affected to this day.''
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