Thug jailed for pepper spraying pregnant teen
Chalmers also struck girl’s mother as she intervened
A brute who sprayed a heavily-pregnant teenager and her mum in the face with pepper spray was yesterday caged.
Paul Chalmers, 23, gassed Chantelle Heron, 18, in the eyes just weeks before she was due to give birth.
He also pummelled her on the face and body and battered her mum Claire, 33, to the ground when she tried to help.
The bully was jailed for 16 months after he admitted attacking the terrified women at Paisley Sheriff Court.
Prosecutor David McDonald told the court how the pair were targeted after they tried to help when Chalmers turned on a teenage girl.
He said: “The argument escalated into a physical altercation between Mr Chalmers and Chantelle Heron.
“During the course of this, Chalmers punched Chantelle on the face and struck her on the body.
“Claire attempted to intervene and Chalmers grabbed Chantelle by the left wrist and twisted it, before pushing Claire to the floor.
“On falling, Mr Chalmers repeatedly struck her on the body with the living room door.”
Chantelle and her mum had rushed to Chalmers’ home after he started rowing with another girl.
He turned on them after they tried to help the 17-year-old escape.
Chalmers punched Chantelle in the face, then tackled Claire.
He repeatedly slammed a door on her as she lay helpless on the floor.
Mr McDonald told how he chased the pair down after they fled in terror.
He said: “Chantelle and her mother Claire ran from the flat.
“The accused then ran up and sprayed them both on the face with pepper spray.”
Chantelle was left in agony and was rushed to the hospital for emergency checks on her unborn baby.
She was kept on a maternity ward overnight while medics monitored her condition.
Chalmers pled guilty to the attack at his flat in Paisley’s Knox Street around 4:20pm onDecember 13.
He claimed he had sprayed the women with an aerosol can and not pepper spray.
Sheriff Susan Sinclair locked the thug up and ordered him to be supervised for eight months in the community once released from prison.
She said: “This was an assault on a young woman, who was heavily pregnant at the time, and, irrespective of how that came about, it’s an aggravating factor.
“Luckily, as far as I can see, there were no ill-effects in relation to the pregnancy or the child.
“I’m not satisfied, given your record and the nature of the offence, that a non- custodial sentence is appropriate.
“It was unnecessary and unpleasant.”