Jail warning for teen who hit love rival

A TEENAGER who battered her love rival by slamming her head into a pavement outside an Ipswich nightspot is today preparing for prison.

Anna Bunn pounced on victim Lucy Hood, her ex-boyfriend's new partner, outside Fire and Ice in Tacket Street on July 8.

The 18-year-old pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm when she appeared at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court alongside Natalie Mucha, also 18, who denied involvement in the assault.

The court heard how Bunn beat up Miss Hood by pulling her to the ground by her hair and crashing her head into the pavement outside the club.

Stephen Colman, prosecuting, said that Miss Hood had been told that the defendant was looking for her and was persuaded to leave the club via the rear exit.

While she was trying to arrange a taxi home, a black Vauxhall Astra pulled up with two men in the front and the two defendants in the back.

Mr Colman said: “The defendant got out of the car and started screaming at her. She grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to the pavement, banging her head on the concrete ten or more times and dragging her along the ground.”

The attack left the victim with a swollen jaw, mild concussion, scratches to the forearm and grazes on her right thigh.

Debbie Hullock, representing both defendants, told the court the attack happened as a result of a quarrel between Bunn and the victim.

She said: “This dispute had been a problem for some months and my client lost her temper as a result of provocative words exchanged between the two.

“She admits banging her head on the ground two or three times and denies dragging her along the pavement.”

Bunn will reappear at Magistrates' Court on Oct 24 to allow for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Mucha was released on unconditional bail until November 14.

Before leaving court Bunn was told by magistrates that the severity of the offence meant the custody threshold had been crossed and not to expect to escape a jail term.