Ipswich woman fined for assault and criminal damage by court
Rebecca Nichols, of Gippswick Road, Ipswich, appeared before Suffolk Magistrates’ Court on Friday, June 12, where she pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage and one of common assault.
The court heard that, during an incident in Ipswich, Miss Nichols smashed a glass window and later damaged a door by scratching it with a knife, as well as threatening and assaulting a support worker at an accommodation block.
Support workers at Miss Nichols' supported living accommodation heard her say: “I smashed the window, I will hurt anyone who enters” and told a worker she wanted to go out and kill somebody. The worker retreated to an office while Nichols attempted to force entry with a butter knife.
In mitigation, the court was told Nichols, 31, had a longstanding diagnosis of schizophrenia and had stopped taking her prescribed medication two days before the incident.
She reported experiencing hallucinations at the time, including seeing a devil in the window, which led to her smashing it.
Her solicitor said she had “no intention to harm” the member of staff and had no recollection of lunging at him, adding that the offences were “wholly linked to her condition”.
Nichols has 13 previous convictions for 18 offences, but had not appeared before a court since 2018.
Magistrates took her reduced culpability into account due to her condition and early guilty pleas.
Nichols was ordered to pay £150 in compensation for the damage and fined £160 for the assault. No compensation was awarded to the victim, as no injury was caused and the pair are said to have a good working relationship.
No additional costs or surcharge imposed to the £310 fine.
