Woman who attacked man and stole from shop spared prison

Friday 03 November 2023

A woman who attacked a man in the street, violently resisted arrest, stole from a shop and then failed to turn up to court has been spared prison and community service.

Vanya Louise Monet (45) was given a nine-month sentence suspended for a year when she appeared in the Magistrate's Court - despite her previous convictions and the recommendations of a probation report.

Monet attacked the man in Don Street on 2 February, by banging his head against a window pane and had kicking him repeatedly as he lay on the ground.

She denied grave and criminal assault and claimed that what sounded like repeated kicks were in fact echoes when she stamped her foot, but was found guilty of the offence.

She violently resisted arrest by waving her arms and legs about as police officers brought her to the ground and tried to handcuff her.

Monet admitted shoplifting. She stole a crystal pyramid from a shop in Conway Street on 9 December last year. And Crown Advocate Lauren Taylor, prosecuting, added that Monet had failed to turn up for a scheduled court appearance on 17 April.

Howeve the Magistrate, Bridget Shaw, told Monet: “I don’t want to send you to prison. I want to give you a chance to remain in the community to continue to deal with your issues and show that you can keep out of trouble.”

Suspending her sentence, she advised Monet: “Stay away from areas where you might get into trouble."