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.
During her sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday, May 29, Parker, who claimed she couldn’t remember any of the incident due to excessive drinking, was told how after a dispute erupted on Cardiff’s main high street that night, she approached a group of four siblings and their partners and started throwing punches.
The court heard that the defendant, who had one previous conviction for drink-driving, assaulted multiple individuals during the incident, and three of them decided their injuries were severe enough to press charges.
Parker punched one victim in the face, knocked another to the ground before dragging her by the hair and tearing her hair from her scalp, and headbutted the third victim with such force that he lost a tooth and was covered in blood, reports Wales Online.
South Wales Police officers arrived swiftly at the scene and Parker was arrested.
Andrew Davies, prosecuting, informed the court that the victim had been quoted a hefty sum to permanently fix his teeth and has shelled out approximately £670 for a temporary dental solution until he can afford a more lasting fix.
Harry Baker, defending, highlighted that at the time of the offence, Parker was grappling with the loss of her mother and mental health issues. He underscored to Judge David Payne that his client had admitted guilt at the first chance given.
“She has had the good sense to seek counselling,” Mr Baker asserted. “She was worried enough by her behaviour to go and seek some help to ensure that it will not happen again.”
Mr Baker also mentioned that his client was penniless and thus unable to pay the substantial compensation required in the case.
Judge Payne proposed that the defendant could tap into the equity from her inherited home to cover the compensation, rather than burdening the taxpayer, to which Mr Baker clarified that the defendant hadn’t solely inherited the property but shared it with others. The court agreed that the defendant would repay part of the costs in manageable monthly instalments.
Judge Payne handed down a sentence to Parker, from Moorland Road in Weston-super-Mare, for assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and assault by beating: one year of custody suspended for two years.
She is also required to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £670 in compensation to her victim, along with prosecution costs of £770 at a minimum rate of £60 per month.
