Hull Crown Court heard she lashed out after one of the men in the other group threw her to the ground
A drug-taking grandmother suddenly viciously stabbed a man with scissors after a nasty confrontation in the street between two rival groups of troublemakers quickly turned violent. Rachael Shipley lashed out with the scissors after one of the men in the other group threw her to the ground. She also lunged with the scissors at a member of the public during the frightening disturbance, Hull Crown Court heard.
Shipley, 47, of Sefton Street, off Hessle Road, west Hull, but recently in custody on remand, admitted affray and possessing a blade on June 25 as well as threatening another person with a blade in a private place on June 26. She was also in breach of an 18-month suspended prison sentence imposed on September 25 last year.
Ben Hammersley, prosecuting, said that an incident broke out between two groups of people on Hessle Road at about 12.30pm. Shipley was brandishing a pair of scissors at members of the opposing group.
She was thrown to the ground by a man and Shipley responded by stabbing him on his shoulder with the scissors. She also lunged at a member of the public with them.
A police vehicle was flagged down by others on the scene and Shipley was pointed out. A police officer spoke to her and seized the scissors from her pocket.
The next day, at about 8.30am, a man living in Sefton Street was awoken by screaming and shouting from his neighbour’s home. He checked the CCTV and pictures of Shipley’s pathway leading to the front door showed her grab a blonde woman by her neck and hold the back of her neck while briefly holding a knife to her neck.
She told the woman: “I f***ing want you” before pushing her back into the house. “Police attended later that day,” said Mr Hammersley.
Shipley was arrested but she made no comment to all questions during police interview. She had convictions for 61 previous offences between August 1997 and May last year. The suspended sentence imposed in September last year was for affray and possessing a blade in May last year.
Julia Baggs, mitigating, said that, during the first incident, Shipley was, in effect, being chased by a group of men. They included a man who was her drug dealer and threats were made to her.
“She received quite a significant push,” said Miss Baggs. “She landed on the floor.” Shipley suffered injuries to her hips and bruises. “She was chased down the street and a brick was thrown at her,” said Miss Baggs.
“She was vulnerable being chased by a group.” The next day, Shipley was outside her home when another woman – a drug user who had been frequently going to the house –made demands to use drugs there.
“Out of frustration and at the end of her tether, she asked her to stop,” said Miss Baggs. “She was worried about the impact of drug use at the property.
“It was a very short incident outside. The two women went inside together after that. They were chatting and there were no difficulties between them.”
Shipley had suffered drug problems but, while in custody at New Hall Prison, near Wakefield, she was on the drug-free wing. She had been in custody since June 26. She had children aged 25 and 16 and a grandson.
Shipley was jailed for three years and three months. The sentence included a consecutive one year after part of the 18-month suspended sentence was activated.