Two sisters who launched a ‘horrible’ attack inside a Salford convenience store in broad daylight have been spared jail. Lindsay and Joanne Carruthers attacked their victim inside the One Stop on Langworthy Road on March 8 of this year.
They were surrounded by children making their way home from school at 3.30pm, Manchester Crown Court heard.
Joanne, of Radcliffe Park Road in Salford, had a daughter who became friends with a daughter of the victim, the court heard on Tuesday. But the girls then fell out, which prompted a fall out between the victim and Joanne.
The two, and Lindsay — of Nursery Street in Salford — came face-to-face inside the store that afternoon.
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CCTV footage played in court showed that the defendants entered the shop first, accompanied by two girls. A few moments later, the victim walked into the store, also accompanied by her child.
The victim then approached the two sisters, the CCTV showed. After a brief conversation, one of the pair shoved the victim, which led to a brawl, prosecutor Duncan Wilcock said.
“It’s accepted that a verbal argument broke out between the two,” he told judge Suzanne Goddard KC. “[The victim] then felt Joanne kicking at her and spitting at her. Then something hit her on the head.”
That ‘something’ was five bottles, which were launched at her by Lindsay, 48. The brawl then continued.
After the fight came to an end the sisters left the shop and staff called the police. The pair were arrested the same day.
In a her victim personal statement, the daughter said the attack was ‘a horrible vision’ which left her unable to ‘feel safe going to the shops’.
Defending the sisters, Michael Johnson said: “They accept, whatever the background was, that their actions were indefensible. Feelings had been running high between the families for some time [but] the parents should have been able to put themselves above that and resolve it in a constructive way and not [in this manner].”
Joanne Carruthers, of Radcliffe Park Road in Salford, was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. She must also complete 12 RAR days, and 60 hours of unpaid work. Lindsay Carruthers, of Nursery Street in Salford, was also given a 12-month jail term, suspended for 18 months. She will complete 25 RAR days, with an IRS condition attached.
An 18-month restraining order was also placed on both women, banning them from contact with their victim or her daughter.
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