Tracy Cartwright fled to Spain rather than face trial in Canterbury

by Paul Hooper

A Thanet woman is to receive £500 in compensation for an attack... that happened 10 years ago.

Tracy Cartwright was left with a fractured cheek bone after being punched to the ground in April 2002 in Kings Street, Ramsgate.

But her attacker, Lynn Sloane, jumped bail and fled to Spain rather than face trial for assault at Canterbury Crown Court – and a judge issued an arrest warrant.

And earlier this year the 51-year-old arrived at Gatwick airport to visit her sick father and was remanded in custody.

Now she has been given a six-month jail sentence - suspended for two years - after pleading guilty to the assault... and then ordered to pay £500 compensation to her victim within six months.

Sloane, who was living in Suffolk Street, Ramsgate, had been in King Street as the victim and her brother's partner Hayley Holden left the Swiss Cottage Pub.

She was standing outside the St Vincent pub shouting at Mrs Cartwright: "What's your problem?"

The victim later told officers all she remembered was being knocked to the floor where she was kicked and punched by Sloane and another man.

Witnesses heard her scream: "That's for Steve" as the other man shouted: "Go and get your brother!"

As Hayley went to her friend's aid, Sloane shouted: "F*** off, it's got nothing to do with you" as she grabbed her victim around the throat, snarling at her crying victim: "That's what you get for hurting Steve."

Mrs Cartwright – who was in considerable pain – managed to walk to her friend's home nearby and was taken to hospital in Margate where she was treated for bruising to her eye and a fractured cheekbone.

Sloane later told police "it was nothing more than a scuffle", but accepted she had punched Mrs Cartwright.

The court heard Sloane claimed she had made her home in Spain and had made many visits to the UK since 2002.

A warrant for the arrest of her husband Thomas Sloane – who is also believed to be living in Spain – is still outstanding. He is also charged with assault in 2002.