Woman is given six-month sentence for violent attack
A WOMAN who dragged an off-duty ambulance driver to the floor and kicked her repeatedly has been handed a six-month jail sentence.
Gemma Butler (25) of Sulby Close, Forest Town, had denied even being involved in the incident outside the The Ritz pub in Clipstone on New Year’s Day, but was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm during a trial at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court.
However, an appeal against the sentence was launched immediately and she was freed on bail pending the outcome.
It was heard how the victim, Lynne Rae, a patient transfer driver at King’s Mill Hospital, had tried to break up a fight between Butler’s father and another male outside The Ritz.
Miss Rae then said she was dragged to the floor by her hair and kicked and punched up to 15 times.
When she was able to get to her feet she saw Gemma Butler being held back by others, still trying to throw punches.
Miss Rae suffered bruising and went to hospital for treatment. Butler not only denied the attack, but said she was not even outside the pub at the time.
Her parents, boyfriend and friend all gave evidence to say they never saw her leave the pub that night.
But the magistrates said they did not believe her version of events. It was revealed that Butler had three previous convictions for violence dating back to 2003.
Weeping throughout Wednesday’s trial, she sobbed as sentence was passed, as did family members in the gallery.
She was led away in handcuffs, but after her solicitor, Chris Lacey, lodged an immediate appeal, she was freed on bail less than an hour later.
She is now due to appear at Nottingham Crown Court next month an another unrelated violence charge.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Mansfield
Saturday 25 May 2013
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 5 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 7 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: West
