by Keith Hunt

A woman who struck a mother-to-be over the head with a wine bottle in front of her distressed autistic son has been locked up for 18 months.

Jessica David left Louise Spicer with injuries including a gash to her head needing six stitches.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Miss Spicer was leaving her Sheerness home with her nine-year-old son on June 8 last year.

Argument

She could hear David, 20, having a drunken argument with her boyfriend in Newcomen Road and the boy became upset.

He told the couple to be quiet because they were hurting his ears. David went over and when she was told by the mother her son was autistic, she replied that she did not care.

Natasha Draycott, prosecuting, said David then hit Miss Spicer over the head with a full bottle of wine. The victim was briefly knocked out and came round to find David banging her head on the bonnet of a car. Miss Spicer bit David’s finger to stop her removing her necklace.

“The young child witnessed the entire incident,” said Miss Draycott.

The victim was taken to hospital by ambulance, while a police officer found David, of Frobisher Close, Sittingbourne, with blood on her clothes and a bottle of wine in her bag.

The prosecutor said David, who admitted assault causing actual bodily harm, had 17 convictions, mainly for assault and shoplifting.

Miss Spicer had been forced to move and still suffered pain to her head. She now had a seven-week-old baby.

Judge Philip St John-Stevens said it was sad to see a young woman before the court with such a bad record.

“Your background is sad,” he said. “Against that I have a public duty in relation to this serious attack on somebody simply going about their business.

“On the other side, you are a girl perhaps with hope. I am heartened by letters about efforts you have been making while in custody.

“Hopefully, you have changed. You have detoxed from alcohol and methadone.”

The judge added: “You have had time to reflect on your life. It is up to you to change it.”