Woman’s pub attack over hair
UNEMPLOYED MUM-OF-FOUR PLEADS GUILTY TO ASSAULT BY BEATING
A mother attacked a woman in a Washington pub after a row over a hair-pulling incident involving her daughter.
Julia Longstaff, 37, assaulted her victim in the New Tavern, Concord, Sunderland magistrates heard.
Longstaff had been drinking at the Durham Miners’ Gala all day, when the attack took place on the evening of Saturday, July 9.
A probation report read out in court, said the unemployed mum-of-four rarely drinks, instead preferring to stay in to look after her children and do housework.
The report stated: “There had been an altercation in Concord a couple of months previous, when her daughter had her hair pulled and she was waiting for police to get back to her.
“She says that on this particular day, she had been to the Durham Miners’ Gala and she’d had a good drink that day.
“She was in Washington in the evening.
“The offence was committed due to a perceived slight against her daughter.”
Longstaff, of Coverdale Avenue, Concord, pleaded guilty to assault by beating.
The court heard she has 10 previous convictions on her record, for a total of 15 offences.
Sandra Fife, defending, said: “She says she will comply with the court and the Probation Service.
“She says ‘it happened and I shouldn’t have done it’.”
Longstaff was given a 12-month community order with 100 hours’ unpaid work.
She was also told to pay £50 in compensation, £85 costs and £50 surcharge.