South Tyneside woman given three months to avoid trouble or face prison time

Borough magistrates let Jay Clark, 29, walk free from court but told her she must return on Tuesday, June 10, and prove she has stayed crime-free.

If not, they warned Clark, of Marlborough Street, Chichester, South Shields, she could be immediately put behind bars.

They imposed the ultimatum after watching sickening CCTV of her carrying out her attack at Heron Foods’ marketplace branch in South Shields.

Footage showed her entering the outlet and acting aggressively towards a female staff member on Monday, January 13.

In the melee that followed, she snapped two bracelets on her victim’s wrist and tried to kick her after they grappled and tumbled over outside.

Susan Kirtley, chair of the bench, told Clark she must keep all appointments with the Probation Service, to help her make lifestyle changes.

She added: “We’re going to give you one final chance. If you do miss any appointment with Probation, you will be brought back to court.

“You can expect to go to prison for all or part of the sentence. It’s one final chance. Take all the appointments you can from Probation.”

Prosecutor Lesley Burgess said: “The shop worker describes that she was on the shop floor when she noticed a female had fallen over just outside the store.

“She noticed the female was intoxicated and with a male. She then came staggering inside the shop.

“The male said he wanted to do a full shop, but Ms Clark said that they couldn’t be in the shop.

“She went to an aisle and tried to slide a freezer door open. The staff member tried to stop this, but in doing this, two bracelets were broken.

“Ms Clark was lunging towards her, and she tried to push her away. The defendant was foaming at the mouth.

“They stumbled and fell over, as the defendant had hold of her. Both fell to the ground.

“The shop worker tried to grab her ankles, but Ms Clark tried to kick her with her other leg. Other people came to help.”

Clark pleaded guilty to charges of assault by beating, causing criminal damage and failing to attend court on Tuesday, March 4.

Magistrates heard she was handed a 26-week term, suspended for 18 months, for other matters eight days after the Heron Foods incident.

The assault and criminal damage charges do not put her in breach of the suspended sentence but her failure to attend court does.

Joanne Gatens, defending, accepted Clark had been intoxicated when she attacked, but urged magistrates to spare her immediate custody.

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Mrs Gatens said Clark had been relatively crime-free until around 18 months ago when a series of personal setbacks turned her to drink.

She added: “I accept on her behalf that Jay’s behaviour was unacceptable.

“By way of background, alcohol is a problem. She tells me she hasn’t drank since the incident.”

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