Teenage girl assaulted her grandmother

10:20am Wednesday 19th November 2008

A TEENAGE girl who assaulted her gran after being freed on a suspended sentence for two robberies is now behind bars.

Bella West attacked her 68-year-old gran as she tried to get money from her at the social security office.

And after admitting breaching the terms of a suspended sentence by committing the assault, the 19-year-old was jailed for 32 weeks.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how West had been put on a nine-month jail term suspended for 18 months in March this year.

She said on Friday, July 18, West called her gran Iris Cully to tell her that she had been given a flat by the council.

Although the social security had granted her a crisis loan for the deposit, and first month’s rent, she still needed £280.

Miss Squire said West called her gran, who agreed to give her the money, and went to see the teenager at offices on Clarence Street.

However by the time she got there the offer of accommodation had fallen through so Mrs Cully said she could not have the money.

West insisted she still wanted the cash and demanded she hand it over, snatching her handbag containing the money, Miss Squire told the court.

West had initially been charged with attempted robbery but that charge was dropped when she pleaded guilty to common assault.

The court was told that she had admitted guilt on the basis she lost her temper and had not intended to break the handbag strap or take anything.

West, of Manor Crescent, Cricklade, pleaded guilty to common assault and breaching a suspended sentence.

Mrs Squire said the teenager had been convicted of two street robberies of girls aged 17 and 18 over two days last November.

Andrew Hobson, defending, said his client had lost his temper after being referred to as a ‘smackhead’ by someone at the social services office.

He accepted his client had stopped taking heroin but was now using crack cocaine. But he said she was trying to get her life in order by sorting out accommodation when the offence took place.

Judge William Hart said he was going to impose 26 weeks of the 36 week suspended sentence and added six weeks for the assault on her grandmother.

He said: “You have shown Bella West that you are capable of taking action to address your drug habit in the past.

“I very much hope that you will use this period in custody to stay away from both heroin and crack cocaine.”