Woman (21) jailed for bottle attack after complaints over loud music

A young woman brought up in the care system was jailed to ”protect the public,” after her latest violent episode when she threw a bottle at another woman’s head.

Kimberley Bonsall (21) had 14 convictions for violence. She was jailed for six months by Judge Beverley Lunt who ruled Bonsall was not a dangerous offender, but told her: “You have obviously been given so many chances in the past because of the history of your personal upbringing but whatever your personal history is, you are not entitled to take it out on innocent people which is what you persistently do.”

Burnley Crown Court was told Bonsall, of Hurtley Street, Burnley, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm. She had lived at the house a few weeks, at the invitation of her brother, and was in her own bedroom when Megan Rowe went to ask her to turn loud music down as neighbours were upset and had complained.

Prosecutor David Clarke said Bonsall became aggressive and abusive towards Miss Rowe. She walked out of the bedroom, past Miss Rowe, into the living room, rooted around and turned round holding a Crabbies Ginger Beer bottle which she raised above her head and threw. Miss Rowe stumbled when the bottle hit her head and was then grabbed by her hair and pulled down towards the floor. She had a one inch graze and swelling.

Bonsall told police the complainant had gone towards her, so she “grabbed the first thing she could and smashed it on her head.”

The court was told Bonsall had previous convictions for battery, common assault, racially aggravated common assault, ABH and wounding.

Philip Holden (defending) said Bonsall had been in care since she was three, had been moved from pillar to post and had had abusive placements.

“She has undoubtedly become embittered by the treatment she has received at the hands of the state and to a large extent, that has formed her personality and character,” said Mr Holden. “The majority of the violence offences are as a direct result of her time in care and the majority of them are in her adolescence.

“If ever there was a defendant who is the product of her environment then this defendant must be that person.”

Mr Holden said the offences had tailed off since she was 16 or 17, which coincided with her leaving the care system, as she had sought to try to walk away when conflict got in her way. “She’s a young lady who accepts that she has a short fuse, but one who has tried her best in young adulthood, ill-equipped and without any proper help, to try and keep herself away from trouble,” he said.

Passing sentence, Judge Lunt said Bonsall had shown no remorse or empathy for her victim and had called her offensive names to a probation officer.

She told Bonsall: “Your previous convictions show the failure of many, many, many non-custodial sentences and in particular supervision orders, which have failed to protect the public from you. It’s now time to protect the public from you, instead of constantly trying to help you, because that plainly is not working.”