Hartlepool woman found guilty of assaulting her grandmother

Victoria Robinson held her head in her hands as the guilty verdicts were returned on the second day of her trial at Teesside Magistrates’ Court.

Robinson had denied the offences, saying she loved her mother and grandmother ‘to bits’ and would never hurt them.

Prosecutor Ann Mitchell told the court Robinson and her mother and grandmother, both called Irene Austin, were all living in the same house in Lazenby Road in Hartlepool at the time of the assaults.

Ms Mitchell said: “Irene Austin snr is a vulnerable adult living in her own property. She says the defendant entered the house and said she was fed up of seeing her face, and swore at her.

“Robinson then punched her on the shoulder, kicked her left shin and pushed her up against a wall.

“She told her grandmother she would kick her again if she didn’t shut up, and she would start on her mother when she returned from work.”

She added: “Robinson said she would break her mother’s legs, and she would be found dead in the house.”

The court heard Robinson then sparked an argument with her mother.

“She asked her to collect something she had bought from an internet site,” said Ms Mitchell.

“Ms Austin jnr refused, saying she would get the item the next day. Robinson became aggressive, swore at her mother, then put her hands around her grandmother’s neck as if to strangle her.

“Robinson than attacked her mother, pulled out a clump of her hair, and threw the television remote at her, bruising her left leg.”

Robinson, of Lamberd Road, Hartlepool, denied three charges of common assault on October 11 and 12.

Giving evidence on her own behalf, Robinson insisted no assaults took place, but she could not say why her mother and grandmother would make up the allegations.

“There were arguments over my mother’s drinking,” said Robinson. “I thought she was drinking too much and told her so.

“I did take wine from her and pour it down the toilet, but I did not assault her in any way.”

Robinson’s younger sister Megan told the court she was in the house at the time the assaults took place.

“I didn’t see Victoria assault anyone,” she said. “There was no way anyone could have been assaulted without me seeing it.”

The bench convicted Victoria Robinson of all three charges.

Sentence was adjourned until April 5 for the preparation of a probation report.

Robinson was bailed on condition she doesn’t contact her mother and grandmother directly or via social media.