Burnley woman punched motorist over driving row

Burnley magistrates heard how Teresa Mulligan, who had been drinking, thought Daniel Tempest was driving too fast for the icy conditions as she crossed the Spar car park with a child on Brunshaw Road, in the town.

Mr Tempest, who believed his driving was perfectly normal, opened his car door and Mulligan, who had shouted at him, punched him in the nose.

His wife Kate got out of the vehicle with a small dog in her arms and the defendant, who claimed she felt threatened, thumped her three times - twice in the face and once in the stomach.

Mulligan, who was pushed to the floor by Mr Tempest as he protected his wife, also kicked the car boot of the Nissan Juke, causing damage worth £200.

Mulligan (40), of Parliament Street, Burnley, admitted criminal damage and two counts of assault by beating on March 2nd and being drunk and and disorderly at Mark Street, in the town, on March 3rd.

The defendant was given a 12-month community order, with 100 hours unpaid work. She was ordered to pay £200 compensation for the car and £50 compensation to each victim by the Bench, who said her actions had been "very much out of order".

Sentencing, Bench chairman Mr Paul Wright told Mulligan the assault on Mrs Tempest was repeated.

He continued: "The worrying feature here is there was a child present. The child was central to it. Alcohol was also consumed. We accept perhaps you weren't massively under the influence of it, but it was there in the background."

Mr Wright told the hearing: "We accept you have no relevant previous convictions and you are remorseful, you are sorry about this."

"The background was rather an emotionally-charged time for you. We accept it was an isolated incident."

The chairman added: "Both victims were assaulted, but Mrs Tempest was the most serious one."