Penrith woman walking with her mum was pinned against wall

When Kendal woman Heidi Hodgeson, 50, appeared before Carlisle’s Rickergate court, she admitted an assault by beating – but her lawyer said poor mental health was the underlying reason for the bad behaviour.

Prosecutor Suresh Basra described what happened.

It was 11am on June 11 when the victim was strolling along Queen Street with her mother, said the prosecutor. “She was outside the B&M store and passing Heidi Hodgeson, who pinned her against a wall.”

The victim was hit to the head during the assault, said Mr Basra. She suffered reddening to the face and pain to her head and shoulders.

In an impact statement, the woman described herself as an introvert who, while comfortable when with people she knows, is already socially anxious.

She did not like conflict, she said.

In the past, she said, her brother had been badly assaulted. She had to explain what happened to her that day to her nephew. “My mother was there when it happened and was worried about me,” she said.

“I was assaulted because I was laughing in the street. ” She added that she is now more “on guard” when in public places.

Her whole family had been left worried by the incident. At her workplace, her bosses had asked her to work at the back of the premises to better protect her.

Katie Scattergood, defending, said Hodgeson, of Town View, Kendal, had made full admissions to the assault while she was being interviewed by the police. She had feared derogatory comments were being made about her.

Previously sectioned under the Mental Health Act, Hodgeson had only just been released with support from a community mental health team and she is now being medicated.

“She would not be suitable for unpaid work,” added the lawyer.

District Judge Philip Holden told the defendant, who said she plans to return to South Africa, that her behaviour that day was unacceptable given the violence she used. But, given the background information before the court, Judge Holden said he would impose a financial penalty.

He fined Hodgeson £100, with a £40 victim surcharge and £85 costs. She must also pay the victim £100 compensation.