A school pastoral carer who followed another woman into the toilets of a Coventry pub and bashed her head against a windowsill and the edge of a sink has escaped being jailed.
Despite her lucky escape, Bobbyjane Boyne went back into court for her barrister to try to persuade the judge not to impose a nightly curfew – to no avail.
Boyne (49) of Corbet Road, Radford, Coventry, had pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to assaulting her victim Anne-Marie Szwed causing her actual bodily harm.
She was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years, with a 7pm to 7am curfew for three months, and was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work and to take part in a rehabilitation activity for 30 days.
Prosecutor Graeme Simpson said the incident took place in the Oak Inn in Gosford Street, Coventry, where both women had been drinking, in the early hours of February 24 last year.
During the evening Ms Szwed had spoken to a man at the bar who was involved with Boyne – and that is what was believed to be behind the attack.
When Ms Szwed went into the toilets, Boyne followed her and began screaming at her: “I’m going to f***ing kill you.”
She grabbed Ms Szwed by the throat and lifted her up onto a ledge before smashing the back of her head against a tiled windowsill.
When Boyne let go, Ms Swed put her hands up to try to calm things down, but Boyne continued to shout abuse and threats at her before grabbing her by the hair.
Boyne pulled her victim’s head backwards and smashed it against the edge of the sink before letting go and walking out.
As a result of the attack, Ms Szwed had a 4cm cut to the back of her head which required stitches, said Mr Simpson.
When she was arrested, Boyne lied about what had happened and at first denied the assault charge before later changing her plea to guilty.
That was on a basis which was not accepted – and it was only at the latest hearing when there was to be a ‘trial of issue’ the she finally accepted the facts of the prosecution case.
Sophie Murray, defending, said Boyne had lost her job as a pastoral carer at a school because of the offence, as a result of which she had also lost her home.
But sentencing Boyne, Judge Andrew Lockhart QC pointed out that Ms Szwed had also lost her job as a result of time she had to take off sick following her injury and the adverse effect it had had on her.
The judge told Boyne: “I take the view you have some form of alcohol problem. Alcohol has been a feature of your life since, sadly, your husband died.
“Jealousy arose, and you, in my view, formed a view that Miss Szwed had done something to you.
“She came out from the toilet and said what had happened to her, but you denied any assault, which I find extraordinary, given the job you did. You didn’t tell the truth in your defence case statement, and only told the truth today.
“But it was an isolated incident, you were in a good job, and have lost your job and lost your home. A great deal has fallen away from your life.”
Following the hearing Boyne and her barrister returned to court to ask for the curfew to be removed, with Miss Murray saying that Boyne’s parents live in Telford, and that she also spent a lot of time walking her dog at night because she did not like being at home alone.
But Judge Lockhart, who had told Boyne any breaches of the order were reserved to him, said he was not prepared to alter the sentence.
