Hartlepool mum attacked woman after Covid-19 lockdown breach report

A judge told Sarah Hewitson not to let him down after he gave her a suspended sentence and told her: “You have come very close to a prison sentence today.”

Shop assistant Hewitson, 32, was angered when a community support officer came to her door late at night to investigate a possible breach of Covid-19 regulations.

She refused to allow the officer inside and then at 12.30am she stormed around to a neighbour’s accusing her of reporting her to the authorities

The woman, who was roused from her bed, denied the accusation and Hewitson launched a violent attack during which she elbowed her in the face and then turned on the victim’s daughter and a friend who went to her aid.

The neighbour suffered a broken bone in her face, later moved house, and stopped shopping in Hartlepool in case she bumped into Hewitson, Teesside Crown Court was told.

She was left in a lot of pain and fear for months, said prosecutor Emma Atkinson, who applied for a restraining order on mother-of-two Hewitson.

Adam Keenaghan, defending, said that she was not used to drinking and her behaviour had been out of character.

He said that she indicated her guilty plea at the magistrates court at an earlier hearing.

The judge told her that the penalty after a trial could have been a two-year jail sentence.

But Judge Howard Crowson told her it would have caused harm to her children and it could not be said that she posed a significant risk of harm to the public

He added: ”You have come very close to a prison sentence today so please don’t let me down.”

Hewitson, of Cherelle Gardens, Hartlepool, was given a 16 months jail sentence suspended for 18 months with 180 hours unpaid work, 20 days Rehabilitation Activities Requirements and ordered to pay £500 compensation and given a five year restraining order banning her from contacting the three victims

She pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on February 9 and two offences of assault by beating.

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