In the Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Monday), two local women were sentenced after each pleaded guilty to a charge of Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm.

Natalie Davis, 27, of the Varyl Begg Estate, was sentenced to 160 hours of unpaid work and Stephanie Ballester, 36, of Withams Road to 140 hours of unpaid work.  In addition, Davis was fined £220 for being in Possession of a Class B Drug.

The court heard that, at around 0145hrs on Saturday 11 December 2022, Davis and Ballester were on board the No1 Night Bus waiting for it to leave Market Place.

Another woman then boarded the bus and sat in the front passenger seat.  An argument soon broke out between Davis and the woman in the front seat which quickly escalated with Davis attacking her victim by hitting her around the head, pulling her hair and clawing at her head and face.

It was then that, Ballester joined the attack by striking the victim’s head, grabbing her hair and spitting in the victim’s face.

Only when the bus driver had come to the aid of the victim, did Davis and Ballester leave the bus.

At around 0210hrs, Davis spoke to a nearby police officer about the incident, at which time she also admitted to having cannabis resin in her handbag.  She was then arrested on suspicion of Common Assault and of Possession of a Class B Drug.

After later viewing CCTV footage taken from the bus, officers subsequently charged both Davis and Ballester with Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm.