Two mothers have been convicted of serious assaulting another woman in an attack at a Swindon town centre pub.
27-year-old co-defendants Lauren Peachey-Hoare and Lisa Herring appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court this morning charged with actual bodily harm (ABH). They both pleaded guilty to the offence.
Crown prosecutor Keith Ballinger said the duo’s victim, Hayley Michalek, had been with her partner at The Groves Company Inn in Fleet Street on 25 September last year.
At around 8pm, she was sat on a bench in the pub’s beer garden whilst having a cigarette and scrolling through her phone. She noticed Peachey-Hoare, of Cranmore Avenue, approach her before saying: “Look, there she is”, or words to that effect.
The defendant grabbed hold of her hair and Ms Michalek ends up on the floor. She smacked her head on the ground before curling up into a ball whilst she was punched in the head and kicked all over her body, suffering immense pain.
The victim described the attack as “quick”, stating she didn’t have time to defend herself.
When she managed to get back on her feet, she was punched five times to the head by Herring who had been standing guard to ensure no one prevented her co-defendant’s assault.
Ms Michalek sustained severe bruising to her thigh, hip, right arm and ribs. She also had a number of lumps on her head, a lump on the back of her neck and a graze on her hand.
Defence solicitor Clare Gooding, appearing for Peachey-Hoare, said her client had been open and honest – not disputing what happened at all, accepting it as described.
She said there was “live animosity” between the defendant and her victim as she had allegedly been assaulted by Ms Michalek on a previous occasion.
In mitigation, Ms Gooding said the single mother-of-three had consumed a large amount of alcohol during the day, was under stress, suffers from depression and that there was an exchange of words prior to the assault.
The court also heard how Peachey-Hoare is unable to work due to her mental health issues and is a carer for her mother who suffers from severe mental health issues.
Luke Jameson, the solicitor appearing for Herring, said she had minimum involvement.
He said the single mother has suffered from anxiety and depression for some time. He claimed the victim stood on Herring’s phone prior to the assault and gave some provocation.
The case was adjourned until next month for an all options pre-sentence report.
