GBH STRAIGHTENERS

Woman accused of stabbing man in the head with a hair iron

A WOMAN appeared in court yesterday charged with attacking a man with a pair of hair straighteners.

Laura Stepp is accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to her neighbour by stabbing him in the head with the implement at the weekend. A detective constable told Derry Magistrates Court after the alleged attack, the 32-year-old texted her mother and sister with the message: “I have tried to kill my neighbour.” The court heard the 47-year-old man suffered five puncture wounds to his head and had to have six staples applied to his injuries. Stepp, from Clooney Terrace in the Waterside area, is alleged to have committed the offences between Friday night and Saturday morning. Her partner James Moore, 32, from Moss Park, Derry, has been charged with assaulting the same man. He made no bail application and was remanded in custody. Opposing Stepp’s bid for bail, the detective constable told the court the alleged victim had challenged the couple as they stood outside his home on Friday night shouting at him. The man chased after Moore and caught up with him at Spencer Road where they fought with each other. The detective constable said when Stepp realised the victim was getting the better of her partner, she took the hair straighteners from her handbag and repeatedly stabbed him in the head. The court heard the accused – who has 17 previous convictions, five for assault – left the scene in a taxi and when it was stopped by police she allegedly attacked an officer. Stepp’s bail application was adjourned until Thursday to enable police to check the proposed address. irish@mgn.co.uk

It is alleged when police stopped the taxi, she assaulted an officer DET CONSTABLE DERRY YESTERDAY