Woman had to leave children at shop with attackers, Carlisle court told

By Victoria Brenan

Last updated at 11:39, Wednesday, 08 August 2012

A mother of four told how she left her children with women she claimed attacked her because she was running for her life.

Tina Miller

Thirty-year-old Tina Miller said she had just escaped from Agnes White after being attacked while standing talking to a friend in Houghton on April 20 last year.

“I ran away and left my children at the shop with the attackers. I was frightened and didn’t know what to do,” she said.

“I wanted to get away.”

Miller was giving evidence during her own trial in which she denies attacking Mrs White with a piece of broken glass.

She told the jury at Carlisle Crown Court that she had been out walking with her four daughters – aged 11, twins of 10 and a one year old – when she heard a car screech up and Mrs White get out, shouting at her.

“I didn’t know what to do,” she said. “I heard another voice say ‘Agnes, kill her’. It was her mum Hazel and sister Margaret.”

Miller said the next thing she knew she was on the ground with someone poking her eye and “something pointy” was in the back of her neck.

“I did fight back,” she said. “I fought to get free. I was screaming for help, my kids were screaming.”

Mrs White told Carlisle Crown Court earlier that she was driving through Houghton when she was aware of someone opening the driver’s door of her car and pulling her out.

She said Miller grabbed her by the hair and kicked her, shouting “you’re dead”. Miller is accused of picking a jar of baby food, smashing it and running at her with a broken shard.

Miller said that Mrs White, her mother and her sister were police informers and she felt the police would not take her word over theirs. She admitted she may have caused some injuries to Mrs White but said she had not used any glass.

“What do you expect me to do when getting attacked?” she said.

Hazel Brough, Mrs White’s mother, said she did not get out of the car and denied attacking Miller with a shoe.

“The first time I knew of any bother was when Agnes was ‘covered in blood’ and she and Margaret came ‘flying back’ to the car and Margaret was screaming they had to get Agnes to hospital,” she said.

Miller, whose address was given as The Green, Houghton, denies causing Mrs White actual bodily harm. She is representing herself without legal advice even though she cannot read or write.

The jury is today due to hear summing up from the prosecuting barrister and judge before being sent out to consider their verdict.

First published at 11:28, Wednesday, 08 August 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk