Women sentenced for unprovoked attack in Parade Gardens

Tuesday 25 October 2016

A drunken woman who “strangled” a member of the public in an unprovoked attack has been given 140 hours community service.

Sentencing 35-year-old Julie-Anne Lihou, Magistrate Bridget Shaw said the attack was “a very serious” one, and Lihou had “come very close to a custodial sentence."

The incident happened early one evening in August in the Parade Gardens.

Miss Lihou, who has a string of convictions for being drunk and disorderly, was drinking cans of beer in the park and was intoxicated.

When the victim walked past her, Lihou suddenly shouted out: “what are you looking at?” The woman ignored her and continued walking on.

CCTV footage then shows Miss Lihou pushing the victim to the ground, and standing over her and shouting; she then walked away leaving the victim lying on the grass. The attacked woman tried to call for help on her mobile.

Alerted by her friends as to what was happening, Lihou then ran back and grabbed the woman by the throat – and “strangled” her - in an attempt to stop her contacting the police.

The attack left the victim with bruising, scratches and cuts to her neck, chin and face. At the time the woman says she thought Lihou was going to kill her. She’s still receiving counselling.

Lihou’s defence argued the assault was at the lower end of the scale, with only moderate non-permanent injuries. But Magistrate Shaw says there were three factors that caused her concern: that the bruising showed considerable force was used; that Lihou had grabbed the woman’s throat; and that she attacked the woman a second time when she realised she was trying to call the police. Nevertheless, the magistrate felt a custodial sentence was not appropriate.

Lihou was also told to seek help with her drink problem, and banned from licenced premises.