Pair jailed after boiling water poured on defenceless woman
VICTIM OF ORDEAL WAS LOVE RIVAL AND EX-WIFE OF CO-DEFENDANT
A NOTTINGHAM mum left a disabled love rival’s life ruined when she poured boiling water over her. And the victim’s ex-husband closed the door on them while his new partner carried out the attack.
A trial heard how jealous Emily Banks’ defenceless victim, who cannot move her left side following a stroke, suffered burns to 15% of her body when the defendant poured up to two litres of boiling liquid on her as she lay helpless on the floor.
As she did so, having earlier knocked her to the ground, codefendant Stephen Turner – whose Nottingham address the attack took place at – just shut the door despite the victim’s screams of pain.
The pair even refused to admit their guilt, making the woman relive her ordeal in court where it was put to her that she inflicted the horrific burns to her own body.
Jailing 30-year-old Banks for 10 years and Turner for eight years, Judge Mark Watson said: “Both of you subjected (the victim) to what can only be described as a nasty ordeal culminating with you, Banks, pouring boiling water over her as she lay there defenceless.
The victim and Stephen Turner had been married and remained on good terms and continued to see each other.
“Emily Banks was in the beginning stages of a relationship with Mr Turner and on that day the victim and Turner had been drinking and ended up at his address.
“You, Banks, went there and in the early hours there was an argument between you and the victim. You pushed her to the floor and while she was on the floor you kicked her and then poured the boiling water over her. She had no mobility on her left side having suffered a strike. She was powerless to defend herself.
“She described feeling like her body was on fire and begged you to let her go. Throughout this you called her ‘a whore’ and told her Steve was yours.
“Mr Turner saw you throw the water over her but he just waited outside the room having closed the door, leaving Emily Banks to attack her. He needed to show solidarity with Banks who he had betrayed that evening.”
Samuel Lowne, prosecuting, said the incident took place at Turner’s address in Hazelwood Road, Radford, in the early hours of July 8, last year.
He said Turner and the victim had been drinking that day and ended up back at his property. He said Banks found out they were together, went round and carried out the assault. The 50-year-old victim was in court to see the pair jailed and the prosecutor read out two impact statements she made.
In them she said: “I did not know I was in danger that night and then someone I trusted caused these injuries. I loved Steve at one point and then he did this to me and now I don’t trust anyone.
“The scars will never go away and I will always have the constant reminder of that awful attack that night. I feel scared all the time and I don’t think I will ever know why they did what they did.”
Turner, 69, and Banks, 30, of The Priory, were both found guilty of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm with intent following a six-day trial.
Roger Wilson, for Banks, said his client grew up in care until she was aged 18. He said: ”She has a personality disorder and that may have affected her on this particular day.”
Richard Thatcher, for Turner, said his client does have previous convictions but nothing for violence for almost three decades.
He said: “He is someone who worked in foundries and paint spraying and as a consequence suffers emphysema. He is someone who is not in the best of health and is going to find a lengthy custodial sentence extremely difficult.”
I feel scared all the time and I don’t think I will ever know why they did what they did.
Victim