A mum throttled one theatre worker and kicked another in the testicles in a drunken ‘moment of madness’ at the panto.
Averil O’Sullivan, 33, took umbrage at being accused of touching someone on the bottom during a performance of Cinderella at the Oxford Playhouse on December 22 last year, Oxford Crown Court heard.
The mum-of-one, who was at the show with her ex-partner, his child and her own daughter, was approached by staff members Francesca Gaskell and Christopher Robins after the show asking for her details.
She demanded they let her leave then pushed out at the pair, who took hold of her. Ms Gaskell was said to have told the defendant: “You assaulted us, we need to get your details. You can’t leave without doing so.”
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O’Sullivan elbowed Mr Robins then grabbed his female colleague by the throat and squeezed the woman’s neck.
The male member of staff pulled the drunken audience member off his colleague, only to be struck a blow in his groin by the defendant. It left him in pain for several hours, it was said.
Prosecuting, Charles Ward-Jackson described the production the defendant had been to see – Cinderella – as a ‘fairytale not known to provoke violence’.
Judge Michael Gledhill KC replied: “It turned into a Punch and Judy show.”
O’Sullivan, of Prosser Way, Abingdon, pleaded guilty to non-fatal strangulation and assault by beating.
In mitigation, Bethan Chichester told the court her client had been dieting ahead of the Christmas period and had too much to drink over dinner.
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She had acted ‘disproportionately’ after her wrists were grabbed by the members of staff at the theatre.
The mum, who had caring responsibilities for her own mother and another woman, was ‘deeply remorseful’, the court was told.
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Sentencing, Judge Gledhill said: “Strangulation is very, very dangerous. Squeezing somebody’s neck for even less than 10 seconds can lead to death and that is why this new offence has been created to reflect the gravity of what you did in your drunken state.”
He added: “Just put yourself into the shoes of those two members of staff looking after hundreds of people and one person in the middle of the stalls creating a performance of their own leading to the injuries you have heard all about.
"It is utterly disgraceful.”
But he said it was in nobody’s interest for the woman to be sent to prison immediately, imposing 12 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years.
As part of the sentence, O’Sullivan was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, up to 20 rehabilitation requirement days with the probation service, and pay £500 in compensation to each victim.
She must also pay £500 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.
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