Woman ran at ex in street with broken bottle
A WOMAN chased her ex-partner through Newcastle city centre with a broken bottle before hitting him with its jagged edge, a court heard.
Rita Roberts had been drinking at Monument on August 4 last year when she was approached by her former partner.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the pair had been in a relationship for two years that had been “underpinned by reports of domestic abuse”.
Prosecutor Omar Ahmad said they were seen on CCTV arguing, before starting to push and shove each other.
He told the court: “After 10 minutes of arguing [the victim] walked off and the defendant ran after him.
“She was seen on CCTV to be carrying a bottle which she smashed on a parking bay, leaving her with the jagged top of the bottle.”
The court heard Roberts ran at the man, who raised his leg in selfdefence.
Mr Ahmad said she then struck him with the bottle, leaving a twoinch cut to his upper thigh.
He added that the victim “tried to back away” but Roberts “continued to lunge at him”.
Police officers arrived and described Roberts as “very intoxicated”. The 42-year-old was arrested and later pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.
The court heard Roberts, of Brotherlee Road, Fawdon, had led a “chaotic lifestyle over the years” and had a “very difficult background”.
The judge, Recorder Richard Thyne, told her: “You have described the relationship [with the victim] as toxic.
“It appears to have been an abusive relationship in which you were subject to domestic violence.”
He said Roberts “didn’t give any justification” for the offence, which was “committed in a public place which would have been frightening to others”.
The judge sentenced her to six months in prison, but suspended the sentence for 18 months after finding there was “a realistic prospect of rehabilitation”.
She was also ordered to carry out 30 days of rehabilitation activity.