A GRANDMUM-of-12 was left with horrific injuries and pleaded “help me” after being attacked by a pregnant woman.
The traumatising assault was launched during a family funeral held at the Conservative Club, in Splott, Cardiff.
Danielle Oliver, 39, attacked the pensioner at a bar[/caption]
Belinda Stickland, 65, suffered serious facial injuries, broken ribs and a punctured lung[/caption]
The grandmother spent nine days in hospital[/caption]
Grieving Danielle Oliver, 39, brutally targeted Belinda Stickland, 65, on June 9, in 2023.
The mum-of-three left her victim in hospital for nine days with fractured ribs, emphysema, and fluid on her lungs.
Appearing at Cardiff Crown Court today, Mrs Stickland said she is now a “shell of a person”.
Prosecuting, Kirsten Murphy, told the court Oliver had to be physically dragged off Mrs Stickland by venue staff in the frenzied ambush.
Disturbing CCTV footage was described by the prosecution.
Oliver was seen looking at her phone while standing at the bar, alongside her victim.
Without warning, she launched her merciless onslaught and threw Mrs Stickland to the floor.
Cops arrested her four days after the horror, and she pleaded guilty to assault occasioning grievous bodily harm at a later court date.
In a victim impact statement read to the court Ms Stickland said: “I was attending the funeral of a close friend on the day I was assaulted. It changed my life in so many ways. It took my sparkle away.
“I am now a shell of a person. Oliver was a stranger to me and yet now she is woven into the fabric of my every day.
“I used to go out and enjoy my life and speak to my neighbours but now I can’t leave the house. I feel it is too unsafe.”
Speaking to her attacker, the brave victim asked: “What if you had killed me? What if you had left my children without their mother? What if you had left my grandchildren without their nan?
“I don’t just live with the physical injuries, I continue to live with the mental trauma. I am no longer me.”
Judge Mills told Oliver: “Even brief incidents of violence can have catastrophic consequences.
“Any idea that a single blow to the face doesn’t do any harm is completely wide of the mark. You could today have been facing prosecution for manslaughter.
“I have heard you are surprised by the seriousness of your victim’s injuries. Well I’m afraid in the job that I do I see all of the time how momentary acts of violence have very serious consequences and sometimes fatal consequences.
“Once you lay your hands on someone else in such a way then the consequences can be truly catastrophic and they arguably have been in this case.”
He added: “I am not going into the background of why you made the decision you did. You were pregnant at the time and I’m aware your medication had to be adjusted.
“An issue was brought to your attention which caused you to make completely the wrong decision.”
Defending, Dan Jones, told the court Oliver has three children who need her at home.
He also told how his client did not mean to inflict such injuries and feels remorse.
Oliver, of Braunton Avenue in Llanrumney, was given a suspended sentence of two years instead of 66 weeks imprisonment.
She was also made the subject of a restraining order banning her from approaching Mrs Stickland for five years.
The mum-of-three further has to complete a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
Outside court Ms Stickland’s daughter, Jinaise, told WalesOnline: “We’re satisfied with the outcome. It’s been two years now and we want to move on.
“My mother is 65 now and shouldn’t have had to put up with this. The puncture has given her emphysema.
“My mother is already closer to the coffin than most and she shouldn’t have to have anyone wanting to put her in there any sooner by assaulting her.”
Mrs Stickland with her daughter Jinaise outside court[/caption]
