An innocent mum heard a crack and fell to the ground after she was hit hard with a baseball bat on her neck, a court heard. The woman could not walk properly and had blood all over her top after the unprovoked attack in Withern Road, on the Broxtowe Estate.
The incident had been because of "problems amongst children", said Nirmal Shant KC on Wednesday (May 10) at Nottingham Crown Court. She said it should have stayed "amongst children" - rather than offenders Christopher Taylor and Scott Newbold turning up with baseball bats.
The victim had been at home when one of her sons arrived in a panic and asked his mum to open the door. She saw vehicle on the road nearby, with Taylor, Newbold and a youth stood by it.
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She told the defendants to leave - but Newbold swung his baseball bat and hit her on the neck twice, and she heard the crack and fell to the floor, the court was told. She needed surgery to a fractured jaw, and had a cut lip and jaw.
Afterwards, she struggled to sleep, was constantly in pain and had a tooth removed. Her son had a cut to his scalp. Newbold, 33, of Fircroft Avenue, Broxtowe, pleaded guilty to wounding her, and left court with a 22-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
His punishment includes 120 hours of community work and compensation to the victim of £2,500. Judge Shant said he had settled down, got a family, job and home, and appears to have rebuilt his life.
Whilst he went to the woman's home with Taylor armed on May 31, 2021, she said the Crown accepted she was not the target of his aggression - but he ended up striking her with the bat, causing permanent injury, of which she still suffers.
Taylor, also 33, of Scotfield Road, Wollaton, who admitted affray, was told by the judge there was a threat or use of violence in the incident, and serious physical injury as a result. But she did not sentence him on the basis he caused the injury.
She said for a decade he had managed to keep out of trouble and built up a family life - then threw it all away in a "moment of madness" - which seemed difficult to understand. But she said he was employed, with a decent living.
His sentence was 11 months in prison, suspended for two years, with ten rehabilitation activity days, unpaid work for 60 hours, and £750 compensation for the victim.
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