Woman kicked in face more than a dozen times

Cardiff crown court heard Deborah Walker subjected Sue Malson, the mother of her daughter’s boyfrend, to an unprovoked and terrifying attack in Channel View, Penygarn, on June 1.

Helen Roddick, prosecuting, told the court Walker, 43, of The Woodlands, Penygarn, chanced upon Mrs Malson, a carer, outside a patient’s home at 6.40am and started shouting and swearing at her because she had rowed with Walker’s daughter the night before.

The court heard Mrs Malson started to walk away and Walker grabbed her ponytail from behind and dragged her back, causing her to fall onto her back.

Ms Roddick said Walker, wearing slippers, then kicked her in the face more than 12 times and threatened she would do the same to her son and she would never see her granddaughter again.

The court heard Walker then walked back to her car and shouted: “Now I’ve done the great Sue Malson and there’s more to come.”

Mrs Malson’s face was swollen and bruised, her nose was cut and she suffered ligament and muscle damage to her neck and back.

She told police she thought Walker was going to kill her.

The attack aggravated her hereditary back condition, Scheuermann's disease, and she has been unable to work as a carer or voluntary community warden since because she is in constant pain.

Walker was jailed for nine months for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Hilary Roberts, defending, said Walker described herself and Mrs Malson as “warring mothers-in-law” and was thoroughly ashamed of the assault.

After the case, Mrs Malson said she was pleased with the sentence, but that the attack had changed her life.

“I’ve always gone out and promoted and assisted those less fortunate than me, but now I’m relying on family and friends for simple tasks like getting around and shopping.”

She used to work up to 70 hours a week, but now spends most of her time at home and is consantly reminded of the assault through her back pain.