An Ipswich woman accused of throwing a plate at her brother’s head during a violent row on their mother’s birthday has been cleared of assault by a jury.

Ava Sharratt told Ipswich Crown Court during her trial last week she had not thought about hitting her brother Richard Sharratt when she threw the plate and just wanted him out of the house.

She said during an argument with him at their mother’s home in Beaconsfield Road, Ipswich, he was trying to get a reaction from her and record her on his mobile phone.

She snatched the phone out of his hand and threw it but had not intentionally thrown it down the stairs causing it to break.

She claimed her brother then swore at her, grabbed her round the throat and pushed her against a wall.

As he went down the stairs she picked up a plate and threw it at the wall because she wanted him out of the house and did not aim it at him.

Ava Sharratt, 32, of Bulstrode Road, denied assaulting Mr Sharratt causing him actual bodily harm or damaging his iPhone on March 25 last year.

She was found not guilty of both offences.

The court heard Mr Sharratt went to his mother’s to give her a birthday present and went upstairs to leave the present on her bed after discovering she was out.

He was confronted by his sister who allegedly swore at him and asked what he was doing.

She allegedly punched him with a clenched fist and when her brother got out his iPhone to record the incident, she allegedly grabbed it and threw it down the stairs.

As Mr Sherratt walked downstairs his sister allegedly picked up a plate and threw it, hitting him on the head causing two cuts which were later glued at hospital.

Giving evidence, Mr Sharratt accepted he and his sister had not had a good relationship and that she had suspected him of stealing from their grandmother who subsequently died.