Farmfoods fracas: mother-of-two gives boyfriend's ex a bloody nose

Amy Wherry (27) also pulled the victim, Yasmin Murphy to the floor by her hair and tried to punch her a second time before telling her "Don't get clever now," and walking off after the 3.45pm checkout attack at the store in Nelson.

Burnley magistrates were told the victim, who had gone to get some baby wipes, also suffered soreness to her nose and bruises to her leg where she hit the floor during the defendant's outburst.

At the time, Wherry had been dating Reece Bottomley, Yasmin Murphy's former partner, and claimed that Ms Murphy had made insulting comments to her on social media the week before and had given her a "cocky response" before she struck her in the shop.

The defendant, of Burnley Road in Colne, admitted common assault on April 20th. Wherry, who receives employment and support allowance, was fined £120 and must pay £85 costs, a £30 victim surcharge and £100 compensation.

Mrs Alex Mann, prosecuting, told the hearing Yasmin Murphy was in the checkout queue when all of a sudden the defendant approached her. "Yasmin Murphy says: 'She hit me to the face. I felt pain to my nose. It started bleeding. She grabbed my hair and pulled me to the floor and tried to hit me again.'"

The prosecutor added the defendant told the victim: "Don't get clever now," and walked off. Mrs Mann said: "It has left her feeling scared of seeing Amy again. She says: 'She assaulted me in front of my kids.'"

Mrs Mann said Wherry had been out of trouble for 10 years, while Mr Glen Smith, defending, said Yasmin Murphy had a new partner now and that Wherry had started to get messages from her on Facebook and other social media.

"At first, it was an exchange of comments, but gradually over the period of a day they became insulting, to the point where she just stopped the conversation," Mr Smith said. "It got quite personal. The defendant says 'I don't know why she was making these comments because she is with somebody else now.'"

Mr Smith said Yasmin Murphy gave a "cocky response" and that, had the response been different, Wherry would have walked away. The solicitor went on: "She says: 'I saw red and I did strike her once. I should have just walked away but I momentarily lost control, pulled her hair and ended up on the floor. I got up and walked off.'"

Mr Smith added: "It was a chance meeting and it was not sustained. It was a very brief encounter. This young lady did not see [the] children. She just saw this young lady and focussed on her. "