A Gateshead grandma has been sent to prison for hitting a woman with a metal spanner in a revenge attack.
Her daughter was badly hurt in a motorbike crash and will need round the clock care. Deborah Charlton became angry because her daughter, who is over 30, suffered brain and body injuries from the accident. She went to the house of a woman linked to the man she thought caused her daughter's injuries.
Six weeks after her daughter got hurt, Deborah and her friend Lyndsey Venus filmed themselves as they banged on her door and yelled they were the police. They then broke in and Deborah hit the scared victim with a large metal spanner while shouting offensive words. Now, both Deborah and Lyndsey have been jailed after a court hearing in Newcastle.
Lyndsey Venus was also jailed (Northumbria Police)The judge at the court, Judge Gavin Doig, said in sentencing: "The offence arose out of a tragic accident involving your daughter, Ms Charlton. You clearly blamed the person you think was riding or controlling the motorbike. The victim of this offence was someone involved with him.", reports Chronicle Live.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the victim has been left terrified to leave her home alone following the attack. Jailing Charlton, Judge Stephen Doig said: "Rather than leaving well alone and letting the police investigate, rather than focusing on the needs of your daughter and grandchildren, you decided to take the law into your own hands, effectively."
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The court heard Charlton, 50, of The Haynying, Felling, Gateshead, had phoned the victim to check if she was in then went to her home with Venus, 43, of Broadway, Gateshead. Judge Doig said: "I've seen the footage. You tried the door, you were kicking it, Charlton. Venus, you were filming.
"You, Charlton, shouted you were the police. The victim came downstairs and opened her front door and was confronted by you. You forced your way in, Charlton, you used your foot to push the door open. You pursued the victim upstairs, you following, Venus, filming it. Upstairs there was a confrontation. Charlton, you could be heard shouting 'you are a rat'."
"You clearly struck blows with a large metal spanner. She got free and you chased her. She was on the ground while you were attacking her." The judge added: "The prosecution say it was a form of revenge attack."
The court heard Venus later shared some of the footage of the attack with Charlton. The victim was left with swelling and bruising to her face, arms and legs and cuts to her face. In a victim impact statement, she said: "I wish to say this has caused me to suffer severe anxiety and panic attacks.
"I've been unable to leave the house because I'm worried about my safety and I'm constantly worried about them coming back, entering my property and assaulting me. It will take a long time to recover from my physical injuries."
Charlton and Venus were both jailed after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary. Judge Doig said he accepted that their behaviour was out of character and is unlikely to be repeated. However, he stressed that the seriousness of the offence and the severe impact on the victim and had to send out a message such behaviour will not be tolerated.
Charlton has a "mental disorder" and the court considered her positive role in the care of her daughter and grandchildren. Despite this, Judge Doig stated: "I accept your actions were wholly out of character. I accept the emotional turmoil from which you were suffering but I have to bear in mind not just the mitigation but also the seriousness of the offence."
Venus pleaded guilty on the basis she didn't use violence herself and she tried to calm down Charlton during the attack. The court heard she is the primary carer for her young daughter and is battling a drink problem.
The judge told them: "I accept you are both the primary carers for dependent relatives, none of whom are at fault here and who will suffer as a consequence of an immediate custodial sentence."
Charlton and Venus, who have limited and unrelated previous convictions from years ago, admitted aggravated burglary. Charlton was jailed for three-and-a-half years and Venus got two years and 10 months. They were both also given indefinite restraining orders.
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