Coventry couple's vicious street attack on female neighbour, now dead - The Coventry Observer

Coventry couple's vicious street attack on female neighbour, now dead

Coventry Editorial 14th Jan, 2019   0

A COVENTRY couple who carried out a vicious attack on one of their neighbours in the street have been warned they are likely get prison sentences.

A jury at Warwick Crown Court heard Noel Finch and Stacey Bradshaw’s victim has since died – of unrelated causes.

Finch (45) and Bradshaw (26) both of Torrington Avenue, Tile Hill, Coventry, had pleaded not guilty to attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm.

They were cleared of that charge, but found guilty of an alternative offence of assaulting Wendy Cantalapiedra causing her actual bodily harm, which they had also denied.




Following request from their barristers for pre-sentence reports, the case was adjourned by Judge Sylvia de Bertodano for longer than normal – because Bradshaw is due to give birth later this month.

In August 2016 Bradshaw and Finch were living in Hewitt Avenue, Radford, Coventry.


Prosecutor Matthew Barnes said Finch’s car had been hit by another vehicle which was then abandoned as the driver made off on foot.

Wendy came out and said she believed the other person had left the area. He responded: “Wind your f***ing neck in and get back into your f***ing house.”

The following day she noticed a tow truck being used by Finch and another man to take the abandoned car.

“Wendy, no doubt in the view of Mr Finch, interfered, in that she told Mr Finch that he should not be taking a car that didn’t belong to him. He told her to ‘f*** off.’”

As the man with the tow truck left with the car, she told Finch they had effectively just stolen it. He lost his temper and the couple attacked Wendy, FInch encouraged her to assault her, telling her: “Go on Stace, give her one.”

The assault began with Bradshaw kicking Wendy to the midriff, grabbing her hair and kicking and punching her.

“Finch’s contribution was even more serious, because when he got involved he delivered two forceful stamps to the head and shoulder area of Wendy as she was on the ground,” said Mr Barnes.

Wendy was left on the ground with a dislocated left shoulder and bruising.

Finch said he had arranged to sell the abandoned car for scrap for £50 as compensation for the damage to his car.

He claimed that as he was talking to the scrap merchant, Wendy had spat at him, then hit him in the face with her arm, and Bradshaw had pushed Wendy away.

Finch asserted the two women fell to the ground, and that he tried to split them up, during which he may have stood on her arm. Bradshaw gave a similar account, claiming she had acted in self-defence.

Judge de Bertodano said they were ‘likely to be dealt with by way of a custodial sentence,’ granted Bradshaw bail, but rejected pleas by Finch for him to be bailed, and remanded him in custody.

The start of the trial had been delayed when he had failed to turn up on the first day, and when he was arrested on a bench warrant, Mr Barnes told the court, he had feigned illness.

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