One victim had clumps of hair ripped out and another lost a tooth and was covered in blood after the violent incident in St Mary Street, Cardiff
A 34-year-old woman who had got drunk at a friend’s wedding went on to violently assault three people so badly she left one with clumps of hair missing and another without a tooth.
Amy Parker, a warehouse worker from south Wales and now living in Weston-super-Mare, had been drinking for hours before the horrific incident occurred in full view of members of the public during a busy night out in St Mary’s Street in Cardiff city centre in the early hours of Sunday, June 23, last year.
At her sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday, May 29, Parker, who said she couldn’t recall any of the incident because she’d had so much to drink, heard how after an argument had occurred on Cardiff’s main high street that night she marched towards a party of four siblings and their partners and began throwing punches. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here
The court heard how the defendant, who had one previous conviction for driving while under the influence of alcohol, assaulted multiple people during the incident and three of them decided their injuries were sufficient enough to press charges.
One of them Parker punched to the face, the other she punched to the floor before dragging her by the hair and ripping her hair out of her scalp, and the third victim was headbutted with such force that he lost a tooth and was covered in blood.
Police officers from South Wales Police arrived at the scene quickly and Parker was arrested.
Andrew Davies, prosecuting, told the court the man had been quoted thousands of pounds to permanently fix his teeth. In the interim he has paid around £670 for a temporary dental fix until he can afford a more permanent solution, Mr Davies explained.
Harry Baker, defending, said at the time of the offence Parker had recently lost her mother and was struggling with her mental health. He also reminded Judge David Payne that his client pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
“She has had the good sense to seek counselling,” Mr Baker continued. “She was worried enough by her behaviour to go and seek some help to ensure that it will not happen again.”
Mr Baker added that his client “hasn’t got any money” and so would not be able to afford the compensation sufficient in the case.
Judge Payne suggested the defendant could withdraw equity from the home her mother had left for her in order to pay compensation rather than relying on the taxpayer to fork out the money, to which Mr Baker informed the court it wasn’t strictly true the defendant had been left a whole property by her late mother.
He said multiple people had been left a share of the home. It was decided the defendant would pay part of the costs back in small monthly instalments.
Judge Payne sentenced Parker, of Moorland Road in Weston-super-Mare, for assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and assault by beating to one year in custody suspended for two years.
She must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £670 in compensation to her victim and prosecution costs of £770 at a rate of at least £60 a month.