A threatening woman who approached two other random women in the street during “aggressive begging” confrontations left them both terrified and fearing for their safety.
Drug user Nicola O’Connor demanded that one of the women buy her a coffee but, when she refused, she angrily smacked her on the back of her head. She asked another woman for a cigarette and repeatedly blocked her path and raised her arms to stop her escaping, Hull Crown Court heard.
O’Connor, 48, of Hull, admitted offences of theft, attempted theft and two of assault.
Harry Bradford, prosecuting, said that, on January 14, a woman was in Princes Avenue, Hull, on her way to get a coffee at 10.30am when O’Connor approached her and asked her to buy a coffee for her. The woman declined but O’Connor persisted.
The woman went into Sainsbury’s but she heard O’Connor shouting something behind her. She felt a smack to the back of her head and stumbled into the shop.
The woman later said: “I didn’t expect to be assaulted and fearing for my safety.” She suffered a lump to the back of her head and soreness. She was now wary of going out and feared that she could be assaulted by a stranger again.
On January 27, O’Connor asked a woman for a cigarette but, when this was declined, she became aggressive and accused the woman of lying. The woman tried to walk away but O’Connor repeatedly blocked her path and raised her arms to stop her getting around her. “She continued to demand a cigarette,” said Mr Bradford. O’Connor told the woman: “You are not going anywhere because I want a cig.” She demanded loose tobacco or money instead of a cigarette. O’Connor grabbed the woman’s shoulder but the victim sprinted across the road to a shop. She was in such a panic that she did not even check first that it was safe to cross the road.
O’Connor pursued her to the shop, where she asked for help. A member of staff blocked O’Connor’s way. The woman was left very shaken and upset. She had been on her way to work at the time.
“This incident has made me feel unsafe,” she said. “I had to take the day off work because the incident scared me. I did not expect anything like this on the way to work and I still don’t feel safe.”
In an earlier incident, a man who was living in shared accommodation with O’Connor fell asleep in a communal area on Christmas Day. He had a wallet containing £120 and a gold medallion.
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He woke to find that the wallet and the medallion had gone. O’Connor has taken the cash before handing in the empty wallet to staff, claiming that she had found it on the stairs. Staff were suspicious and checked CCTV pictures. They showed that O’Connor went through his pockets before finding the wallet and taking it.
O’Connor denied the offences during police interview. She had convictions for 19 previous offences, including theft and assault.
Julia Baggs, mitigating, said that O’Connor was in custody on remand between January 29 and May 12, when she was given bail. She was not taking drugs at the moment. “She is doing her best to remain completely drug-free,” said Miss Baggs.
“It was Spice, cannabis and, latterly, crack cocaine. She is trying to keep herself busy. She is trying to keep clear of people she was previously spending time with. Since she has been on bail, there have been no issues with bail or any further offending.”
O’Connor was given 25 days’ rehabilitation.