1 day Ago By [email protected] (Julia Roberts)
A drunk mum "threw her weight" into repeatedly punching a neighbour who had complained about music being played in the middle of the night. Amie Bray struck her victim as many as 20 times to the face, leaving her bruised and in "constant fear" of further assault at the accommodation they shared in Maidstone . Bray, who has a history of abusing cannabis, cocaine and crack cocaine since her teenage years, had downed a number of shots in the run-up to her violent outburst in the early hours of November 10, 2023.
Maidstone Crown Court heard that shortly before launching her attack, the victim was branded "That b****" in reference to the noise complaint. Such was the force of Bray's initial blow that it caused her upstairs neighbour to lose balance and stumble through another resident's door at the property in Randall Street. Bray continued to unleash further punches even when the woman was back in her own room - and later lied about having been attacked herself.
The 31-year-old mum of two appeared for sentencing on Thursday (March 27), having pleaded guilty at a previous hearing this year to assault causing actual bodily harm. The court was told that Bray, who receives £1,750 a month in benefits, was with her partner and "extremely intoxicated" after spending £140 on shots. The couple then woke the victim in the early hours by playing music.
"She tried to block out the noise with earplugs and stamped her feet on the floor around five times in an attempt to get it turned down," prosecutor Ben Wild explained. However, when she went to use the shared bathroom, Bray and her partner were at the top of the stairs. "Words to the effect of 'It must be that b****' were said and they began being verbally aggressive," continued the prosecutor.
"Ms Bray then lunged at the victim and threw her weight behind a punch to her face, causing her to lose balance and stumble through a neighbour's door. "She continued to throw around 20 punches, mostly to the face. The assault continued even after the victim had fallen back into her own room.
" Bray eventually stopped and police were called, only for her to make a "counter allegation", said Mr Wild, that she had been attacked and kicked in the stomach. The neighbour suffered two large bruises to her face and in a statement made to police that same day and read out by the prosecutor, she explained the assault had also affected her confidence. "It makes me feel like I don't want to live here anymore and don't want to see them again as it puts me in constant fear," she said.
Bray, who has previous convictions for violence with the last being for battery in 2016, gave a 'no comment' interview following her arrest. Samuel Glanville, defending, told the court that as well as a drug habit dating back to when she was just 13, she had been physically abused by her mother "until she began to retaliate", and had also engaged in "inappropriate relationships" with adult men. Urging that Bray could be spared an immediate prison sentence, he highlighted her mental health issues, including schizoaffective and personality disorders, and the fact that, barring this "deeply unpleasant" incident she had "lived in the community peacefully" since her last conviction while making "very good progress" through her voluntary engagement with The Forward Trust charity.
But in deciding the appropriate punishment, Recorder Christine Wilson revealed that even after she had pleaded in January, Bray had continued to use crack cocaine and cocaine less than a week before her appointment with a probation officer tasked with preparing a report for her sentencing hearing. Furthermore, the judge said, the defendant was in the habit of "immediately" spending her benefits payment on drugs. Notwithstanding her concerns however, Recorder Wilson decided she could suspend a jail term of 18 months for two years, having taken into account Bray's mental health issues, the impact of custodial sentences on children, the state of the prison population and the fact any risk posed could be reduced through professional support.
But she said the attack on her neighbour had been "prolonged, persistent and distressing". "This was in the middle of the night when she was at home and where she has every right to feel safe," the judge told Bray. "You were extremely intoxicated and have previous convictions for battery and grievous bodily harm, although it was some time since you were convicted and this was relatively out of character looking at your most recent history.
" As part of her suspended sentence, Bray must undertake 40 rehabilitation activity requirements, a 12-month mental health treatment programme, and a nine-month drug rehabilitation requirement. She was also made subject to a five-year restraining order and told to pay her victim, who has since moved from the shared accommodation, £500 compensation at a rate of £50 a month..
