Nurse fined for punching neighbour after 'lunging' into her home over parking row

A 69-year-old nurse who forced her way into a neighbour's house and punched her in the chest in a row over parking has been fined more than £2,000.

Christine Sharman, from Llan Ffestiniog in Gwynedd, pushed her way into the home of neighbours Alun and Jane Jones because she was angry they had parked their car in the street outside.

She was found guilty in April of assaulting Jane Jones and of using violence to enter the house.

Caernarfon Magistrates' Court was told on Monday that Sharman suffered from poor mental health and her family were planning for her to sell her home so she could move away from Wales.

Her trial in April was told that Sharman "lunged" into her neighbours' home and punched Jane Jones in the centre of the chest in front of her two grandchildren aged three and six.

Giving evidence, Jane Jones told the trial that Sharman "was pushing against the door. I was trying to shut it, but she was against it with her full weight so I couldn't".

She added: "She came in with a lunge. I got in the way and got a punch in the chest with a closed fist.

"I was in shock, I wasn't expecting it at all."

The court was told that there was a history of "bad blood" between Sharman and her neighbours across the road, often involving parking.

Sharman had become stressed that Alun Jones had parked his black Vauxhall car outside her house on 25 July last year.

She claimed she needed to load her own car for work and they were blocking her access, and she only wanted to speak calmly to them.

Magistrates fined her £2,215 and ordered her to pay £886 in victim surcharge and £300 in costs – a total of £3,401.

They also banned her from approaching her neighbours, or going on to their property.

Defending Sharman at Monday's hearing, solicitor Glyn Roberts described it as "a desperately sad case".

He said that Sharman's family were in court to support her, having only found out about the case after she was found guilty.

"She has physical and mental health issues," he said.

"It's entirely unrealistic that she should live over the road from (Mr and Mrs Jones).

"The house will be placed on the market as soon as possible so she can move back to West Yorkshire, where she is from and where she can have the support of her family."