A Powys woman went on a drunken wrecking spree and spat at police officers after a fall out with her ex-boyfriend.
Leoni Price, 22, of Lon Masarn, Trehafren, admittted criminal damage and assaulting an emergency worker when she appeared at Welshpool Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, 12th December 2023.
Criminal damage is an offence under section 1(1) of the Criminal Damage Act 1971. Criminal damage below £5,000 is a summary offence, with a maximum penalty of 3 months' custody and/or a fine at level 4. We have previously written a guide to the offence of criminal damage, which some readers may find of interest.
Magistrates heard that Price, who described herself as "8 out of 10 drunk", got into a row with her then-boyfriend, Stuart Struthers, on Sunday, 30th April 2023.
Mr Struthers took refuge in the locked doorstairs toilet as Price went on a wrecking spree within the Newtown property.
She caused more than £860 worth of damage to various items of Mr Struthers' property, including an iPhone, beard trimmer and television.
Price also threw a large mirror down the stairs of the property, before kicking and spitting at police officers responding to the incident.
Rhian Jackson, prosecuting, told the court was screaming and shouting at the officers and was later "vile and abusive" towards custody staff.
The prosecutor added that Mr Struthers was so shaken by the incident that he'd taken six days off work and was now seeking a restraining order against Price because he was "scared to go out in Newtown".
Robert Hanratty, mitigating, told the court that his client acknowledged her drunkenness that evening.
"She accepts she totally overreacted and was hysterical," the solicitor said.
"Mr Struthers would have you believe he was constantly hiding around the house.
"She was hysterical. You've got two police officers bearing down on her; she was clearly agitated, very drunk, crying and cursing. The whole incident takes in a place no bigger than that alcove and then she spat in the officer's face."
Mr Hanratty added that Price had attended hospital after her release from custody, where she underwent treatment to realign her jaw.
The solicitor questioned the necessity for a restraining order when neither party had been in contact with the other since the date of the incident.
Given the circumstances, Magistrates agreed and declined to make a restraining order. They were, however, of the opinion that Price's offences were serious enough to merit a community order.
Price was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 120 hours' unpaid work requirement.
She was ordered to pay £500 in compensation (£300 to Mr Stuthers and £100 to each police officer), £85 towards prosecution costs and £114 surcharge.
Anthony Jackson JP, Presiding Justice, told Price: "I don’t know how many people you listen to, but you're only 22 years old and this is your first offence.
"You've got yourself in a bit of a tangle that has resulted in you being here today. Please ponder on it and work with probation to make things better. I really mean this: we don't want to see you again."
2 comments:
£500 compensation when £850 worth of the victims property damaged.
Why not award the full £850? Why should the victim be out of pocket?
Hello Phil, I don't know is the answer. The court has to take into account the defendant's ability to pay, but the option was there to reduce the costs and surcharge to zero and prioritise compensation.
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