A MOTHER and her son's girlfriend punched their Russian neighbour in the face and pulled out chunks of her hair after a night of binge drinking. Frances Connell, 49, her son Adam, 25, and his seven-month pregnant girlfriend Lindsey Carter, 22, admitted affray after a row broke out.
Hull Crown Court heard Adam Connell smashed the wing mirror of Karina Skripka's car in Adderbury Grove, west Hull, following a drunken argument with his mother.
When Ms Skripka, her partner Alexanders Uschovs and his father, Gennady Uskovs, confronted Adam Connell, Carter and Frances Connell pinned her to the car and punched her in the face while screaming "f****** Polish" at her.
At the same time, Adam Connell came running at his terrified neighbours, shouting and brandishing two kitchen knives.
Prosecuting, Claire Holmes, said: "As Ms Skripka was on the telephone to the police, Frances Connell told her to stop phoning and threw herself at her to prevent the call. She was trying to knock the phone out of her hand.
"Lindsey Carter then joined in, running up to Ms Skripka and grabbing her by her hair. Alexanders Uskovs dragged Lindsey Carter off his partner but was unable to prevent Frances Connell holding her up against the car and hitting her with one hand while holding her with the other. Ms Skripka suffered three punches to the face."
Desperate to fend off her attackers, who had been drinking vodka after a friend in Manchester was murdered, Ms Skripka punched Carter and bit Frances Connell on the arm.
She suffered scratches on her forehead and neck and her hair was pulled out, while Mr Uskovs senior came away with a split lip.
SUSPENDED JAIL TERMS: Frances Connell (left) and Lindsey Carter.Both families went back to their houses, which are just three doors apart, and the defendants called the police, claiming they were the victims. But when officers arrived at their house, the Connells and Carter were arrested.
Ms Holmes said: "Adam Connell was compliant but Lindsey Carter was extremely abusive. She was pulled to the bed to be cuffed. She resisted and had to be restrained. As she was taken to the police van she shouted, 'You wait 'til I get out, you're going to get it'.
"Frances Connell tried to get to the bedroom where officers were dealing with the other defendants and officers pulled her arm to force her back. She became violent and verbally abusive."
In their police interviews, all three defendants said it was the Russian family who had been aggressive, although Adam Connell admitted damaging the car. They then pleaded guilty on the day of the trial in June.
In mitigation for Carter and Adam Connell, John Thackray, described the attack as "impulsive", and said it had been fuelled by drink.
He said: "The defendants' conduct was committed while under the influence of drink.
"They were trying to console themselves having had some very bad news that an ex-partner's girlfriend had been murdered in Manchester. They were struggling to come to terms with that."
Christopher Dunn, for Frances Connell, who claimed she is housebound due to agoraphobia, said she got involved through "misguided loyalty" to her son and then panicked when she was outside.
Mr Dunn said: "She didn't want to be outside, or drawn into this situation, or go to the police station.
"Frances Connell is in a prison already. She is virtually housebound, incapable of crossing the road without the help and support of someone next to her.
"A sentence of imprisonment would have an impact wholly beyond what would be normal for an ordinary defendant."
Carter was sentenced to six months, suspended for 12 months with a two-month curfew, and Frances Connell to four months, suspended for 12 months, with a six-week curfew.
Despite this, Carter sobbed as her boyfriend, who has already served 15 months for robbery, was sent down for ten months and shouted "It's a bunch of lies" as she left the court.
Sentencing the trio, Judge Jacqueline Davies, said: "You deserve to go to custody today. The only thing that saves you, Lindsey Carter is the fact you are having a baby in the next couple of months.
"This was an unprovoked piece of violence. It was appalling, offensive and had a racist element."
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