GRADE-A STUDENT HAS BABY IN JAIL
ATALENTED student “with a bright future” ended up giving birth in prison after she was introduced to drugs and became a violent criminal.
Ciara Mansell was an “academic and trustworthy girl” as an A-level student but fell into a life of crime after meeting an older man who introduced her to ketamine and other drugs.
The 22-year-old attacked two women – leaving one scarred for life – and a court heard that having been pregnant at the time of the last assault she ended up giving birth while on remand.
Mansell sobbed in the dock at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court as Judge Tom Crowther QC told her: “The tragedy is that your offending is in contrast to the way you were living your life. You were an academic and trustworthy girl with a bright future. It is a great shame.
“You have been through the dreadful experience of having your child taken away from you within days of giving birth in prison. You are going to have to decide to change for yourself and for your child.”
Mansell was studying for her A-levels when she met an older man who introduced her to ketamine and other drugs. The court heard she “went off the rails” and was convicted of a series of offences including causing actual bodily harm, battery and harassment.
In June last year she attacked her partner Holly Edwards who feared for her life during a “sustained and bloody” assault. The court heard she played loud music to drown out Miss Edwards’ screams.
Judge Crowther said: “This must have been a terrifying experience – you were strangling her from behind. You hit her with pieces of furniture – it was an hour of aggression and violence. She genuinely believed you intended to kill her.”
Mansell later scarred a woman for life by throwing a pint glass at her while being ejected from a pub.
After her arrest she sent offensive messages to a female witness calling her abusive names.
James Evans, defending, said: “Until her mid-teens she was an A-grade student but she became involved with an older boy who introduced her to ketamine, amongst other things, and she went off the rails. She is from a respectable family who are deeply concerned about her.”
Mansell handed the judge a twopage handwritten letter apologising for her actions and promising to mend her ways. But Judge Crowther said her offences passed the custody threshold because of the level of violence involved.
Mansell, of Tylorstown, Rhondda, admitted unlawful wounding, causing actual bodily harm and sending offensive messages by text.
She was jailed for two and a half years, but will be freed early next year after serving part of her sentence while on remand. Mansell was also given a five-year restraining order preventing her from contacting her three female victims.