Mother attacked in Coventry by 'jealous' woman

[dutchman]

A mother said she had her head smashed on a windowsill by a "jealous" woman who saw her speak to a man at a bar



Anne-Marie Szwed, 33, was on a night out at the Oak Inn in Gosford Street, Coventry, at about 04:00 GMT on Saturday when the attack happened.

Ms Szwed said she briefly spoke to the man before rejoining her friends.

She then went to the toilet, where a woman "rushed in", threatened to kill her, "grabbed" her by the throat and hit her head repeatedly.

"I was too drowsy to fight back", Ms Szwed said.

"I was asking her 'why are you doing this?' She said 'why doesn't he look at me like that? I'm going to kill you'."

The mother-of-one said she managed to stumble out of the toilets and told a friend.

She said they went into the toilet to find the woman, thought to be in her 40s, "calmly washing her hands", saying "I didn't do anything'". [Warning: A picture some people might find graphic follows]

Ms Szwed, who lives in Coventry with her four-year-old son, said the attack was "crazy" and "all over nothing".

"I can't even see my son because I'm still concussed. I'm supposed to be at his parents evening and he's got a birthday party soon which I don't think I can do," she said.

"I'm normally such an outgoing person, but I just don't want to go anywhere."

Ms Szwed told the BBC she was taken to hospital and had brain scans, "the bleeding was so bad it needed two people in the ambulance to keep pressure".

West Midlands Police confirmed it was investigating an assault.

"At around 04:40, a 33-year-old woman was followed into the ladies toilets by an unknown woman who grabbed her hair and hit her head against a windowsill.

"The attacker then left the premises."

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Attack victim claims police 'took too long' to investigate brutal pub attack

A mum left with horrific injuries after a brutal pub attack has criticised police for only starting their investigations a week later.

Anne-Marie Szwed, 33, from Binley , was left with a gaping head wound after a fellow drinker followed her into the toilets at The Oak Inn in Coventry and smashed her head repeatedly off the sink and windowsill.

Shocking pictures from the February 24 incident show the bathroom covered in blood and blood oozing from a deep wound in Anne-Marie’s head.

Despite the serious consequences - with the mum-of-one still in pain and unable to work - Anne-Marie said it had taken a week for anyone from West Midlands Police to contact her about the vicious beating.

“It’s just not good enough,” she said,

“I’ve had to keep chasing them to find out what is going on.

“They openly said there were massive staffing issues but it should have been dealt with before.

“I was told on Friday that they hadn’t even assigned anyone to the case.

“Then the next minute they had assigned someone but they were on holiday so it would be the next day before they called. That didn’t happen.

"I called and complained and was told that the officer would call me back as soon as they got in at 8.30am. That didn’t happen.

“To be fair to the officer who is now dealing with it, he’s been fantastic.

“It’s just a shame that it’s taken until now when there’s someone so violent still out there.”

[rebbonk]

Reading through various online versions of this story there appears to be a lot more to it. The perpetrator seems to be being deliberately protected.

[dutchman]

Reappeal for witnesses over brutal Coventry pub attack on mum



Police are reappealing for witnesses to a brutal Coventry pub attack that left a mum with serious wounds and scared to leave her home.

The incident happened more than five months ago back on February 24 when Anne-Marie Szwed, from Binley , was attacked in the bathroom of the Oak Inn pub on Gosford Street.

The 33-year-old mum-of-one told the Telegraph previously how doctors warned she was just a millimetre away from permanent life-changing injuries.

Now police are reappealing for information and have released this image of two women they believe may have vital information.

The statement continues: "Officers are now appealing to trace the two women pictured, who were in the pub at the time of the attack, as they believe they may have vital information about what happened."

The women are urged to contact Det Con Elliot on 101 ext 834 3026 quoting crime reference 20CV/44106T/18.

Likewise, anyone who recognises them is urged to contact police on the number above.

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Woman charged over attack in Coventry pub toilets

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "A 48-year-old woman has been charged with assault in connection with an incident at the Oak Inn, Gosford Street, Coventry.

"The victim, a 33-year old woman, suffered cuts and bruises when she was attacked in the ladies’ toilets at the pub on February 24.

"Bobbyjane Boyne of Corbet Road, Radford, Coventry is due to appear at Coventry Magistrates Court on November 22."

I like the way they've told everyone she's 48 years old!

[dutchman]

School worker smashed woman's head on sink in brutal pub attack

A Coventry woman who caused horrific head injuries to a mum-of-one during an attack in a Coventry pub has been handed a suspended jail sentence.

Bobbyjane Boyne, 48, was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Anne Marie Szwed following the incident at The Oak Inn pub in Gosford Street on February 24 last year (2018).

At a hearing today she admitted the attack in which she smashed her victim's head off a sink in the women's toilets of the pub.

The 48-year-old, of Corbet Road, Radford, first denied the charge but changed her plea to guilty in March at Birmingham Crown Court.

The prosecution alleged a “sustained” attack was carried out on Ms Szwed, with her head being “smashed” against a sink in the toilets by the defendant.

They said it took place because of “jealousy” over “a man” and the two women had had no previous contact.

Because Boyne had disputed some of the facts alleged by the prosecution, which could affect how she was sentenced, a trial of issue - where a judge decides on the facts before passing sentence - was due to take place.

It enabled CCTV evidence to be reviewed by the defence.

That had been due to happen at Warwick Crown Court in Leamington Spa today (Thursday September 19) but the defendant to drop her basis of plea.

She accepted her guilt on the facts alleged by the prosecution.

That left the judge to sentence her after some discussion of the case and mitigation on Boyne’s behalf.

Judge Andrew Lockhart said Ms Szwed had made “an emotional statement”.

Sentencing Boyne he said: “She has had a great deal of difficulties as a result of what you did to her when you were in drink.

“She has had time off sick. She has had to come from a place of employment on to employment support allowance

“The toll on her mentally has been great.

“She has suffered other medical conditions but her life has been greatly changed by that.

“I take the view you have some sort of alcohol problem. Alcohol is a feature of your life.

“I am told that you went out on February 24, you hadn’t been out for a long time, you had a great deal to drink.

“In my view you seemed to think Miss Szwed had done something to you."
'You did something in drink you would never do

Judge Lockhart added: “You did something in drink you would never do - you went into the toilet, confronted her and assaulted her.

“You put your hands around her throat and smashed her head on to that basin.

“Standing here now I am sure you think that conduct is utterly deplorable.

“There is no doubt in my mind you intended to hurt her and you did.

“You were arrested and denied any assault - you didn’t tell the truth.

“You didn’t tell the truth in the police station. You pleaded not guilty. You only chose to tell the truth today.”

Judge Lockhart said that although he was “quite satisfied this case crosses the custodial threshold - by some considerable margin” he was passing a sentence of 12 months, suspended for two years, with a number of conditions.

[dutchman]

In mitigation Boyne’s barrister Sophie Murray said of Boyne, who at the time of the attack worked as a pastoral care lead at a school in Coventry.

Ms Murray said: “Prior to the offence Ms Boyne’s husband had passed away. She had not been out for some time.

“She lost her job as a result of this - a job she had been doing for ten years.

“She has also lost her home.

“She expresses her remorse.

“She has lost her house, she has lost her job. She has lost everything.”

But not her car apparently?

[dutchman]

'She has been given a slap on the wrist for it'



A mum-of-one who suffered horrific head injuries during an attack in a Coventry pub has described the suspended sentence given to her attacker as “a slap on the wrist”.

Ms Szwed, who had to leave her job through ill health following the attack, spoke to CoventryLive to explain just how devastated she felt after hearing of Boyne’s suspended sentence.

She said: “Honestly, I feel heartbroken.

“It has ruined my life and she has been given a slap on the wrist for it.

“People who are stealing and breaking into houses get put away for six months - she admitted to threatening to kill me but she is not going to see the inside of a prison cell.

“It’s atrocious - it makes a mockery of it.

“I have waited a year-and-a-half for some comeuppance but it hasn’t happened.

“It just shows people can do anything they want with no backlash.”

Ms Szwed also told of the impact the crippling effect the attack has had on her life.

She has had one operation on her back already, is awaiting a second and has been prescribed several different painkillers to take daily.

“What life? I don’t have a life - it’s a joke,” she said, after sentence was passed.

“I don’t get to do anything, I don’t get to go anywhere, I don’t want to - and it’s all because of her.

“I don’t leave the house at all because of the damage she did to my back and my head.

“I have a six-year-old son. I have to lead by example for him and be strong.

“A lot of the time my little boy is looking after me - helping me with my medicines or whatever - but it should be the other way around.”

Asked whether she was prepared to let Boyne’s sentencing be the end of the matter Ms Szwed said she planned to take legal advice and speak to the police about continuing her fight for what she believes to be justice.

She said: “I just don’t understand how somebody can ruin someone’s life and still walk away.

“I am going to take it as far as I can if it is the last thing I do.”

“I will be doing everything I can to appeal, to get her to where she belongs - she’s an animal.”