Horse-lover left fellow equestrian with scarring in ‘unprovoked’ attack

Tracey Harrison, aged 59, landed “multiple blows” on her 61-year-old victim, who the court heard was “putting on her wellingtons” at her land in South Normanton at the time.

Derby Crown Court heard how, prior to the attack on March 15, 2022, there had been an “exchange of text messages” between Harrison and the complainant.

The prosecutor described how at 7.30pm on the day of the incident, Harrison called the victim a b**** as she entered her field, “rushing at her” before she was punched to the face and body “several times”.

He said: “It caused severe injuries and required hospital treatment with 10 butterfly stitches. It was an unprovoked assault which caused severe bruising and scarring.”

In a statement read out to the court, the victim described lasting scarring to both cheeks which left her “self-conscious”.

She now no longer enjoyed getting dressed up or going out due to the disfigurement and felt uneasy while seeing to her horses.

The court heard Harrison, of Wood Street, Alfreton, was a person of previous good character and the sole carer for her husband who was in poor health.

Harrison was convicted of assault causing actual bodily harm after a trial.

Sentencing, Judge Tim Spruce told her: “This was an unprovoked assault involving multiple blows – it has resulted in scarring which she has got to live with.

“You entered her property to carry out the assault and now she is thinking ‘what if people are staring at me when I’m out for dinner’.

“You let yourself down here – you were a lady with no previous convictions and the loss of your good character is a heavy penalty in itself.”

Harrison was jailed for 32 weeks jail, suspended for 15 months, given a 120-day curfew and a three-year restraining order and ordered to pay £600 compensation and £400 costs.