Mum faces prison for attacking parent in row over one child 'patting another's backside'
A MOTHER is facing a prison sentence after she attacked another parent in front of children for a "backside" patting row.
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Jade Valentine, 27, of Plymouth, Devon, and the other mother started fighting when one child patted another's backside. Ms Valentine is said to have jumped out of her car, which had a child strapped in the back, before launching “a number of punches” at the other parent.
The incident, which first took place in May 2019, saw the victim suffer “bumps and bruises”.
In March 2020, when the case was heard in Plymouth Crown Court, the attack was said to have involved “hair pulling”.
Ms Valentine had pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm over the incident
She was handed a 12-month community order last year after the hearing.
She now faces jail after doing only a fraction of her unpaid work and failing to speak with probation.
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In the latest hearing, Judge Robert Linford noted the case was heard so long ago that the sentencing judge had since retired, but added Ms Valentine had done just 14 of her allocated 200 hours of unpaid work.
This was despite the order being extended by six months to give her more time to carry out the community order.
The judge said: “It is completely unacceptable.
“When judges make orders, they need to be followed or there will be consequences.
“If you have genuine problems with childcare, then probation will listen.
“That is not what is happening here, you have simply not been doing the work.”
Judge Linford then added he is willing to allow the community order to continue “if you keep each and every one of the appointments that you are offered”.
But he also warned that if any appointments are missed without reason, then Ms Valentine faces prison.
He added: “If you have missed any of the appointments for no good reason you will go to prison.
“Turn up that day with arrangements in place for the care of your children while you are in prison.”
Ali Rafati, lawyer for Ms Valentine, said the situation has left his client feeling “helpless”.
He said: “The consequences have left her feeling rather helpless, rather than being someone who is not inclined to do the work.
“She is very scared and very tearful.”
Charlie Barrass-Evans, for probation, said officers had been “flexible” with Ms Valentine, for example accepting that she could not talk at certain times on the phone because she was caring for the children.