A notorious York woman has been jailed for over two years after kicking a tourist in the head, shattering her cheekbone.
Jacqueline Raisbeck, 45, acted like a “barbarian” as she punched and kicked the victim in the city centre in front of horrified onlookers, York Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Brooke Morrison said the named victim was simply “killing time” and having a walk around York when she came across Raisbeck’s then partner outside the Spar shop in Bridge Street.
The victim was talking to this man when drug addict Raisbeck suddenly walked up, aimed a volley of vile abuse at her and demanded to know why she was speaking to her boyfriend.
Raisbeck then “grabs her by the neck”, said Ms Morrison.
The victim tried to defend herself by hitting Raisbeck with a bottle of alcohol she had bought from the Spar shop, sparking a “prolonged and persistent” assault by Raisbeck who “returns to (the victim) on several occasions”.
“At one point she walked up to her while (the victim) was sat on the floor and kicked her in the face,” said Ms Morrison.
“(The victim) was held on the floor and punched to the head at least four times.”
Her friend pulled Raisbeck off her, but the York woman, who at one stage was also tussling and arguing with her boyfriend, continued to shout abuse and kept trying to lash out.
The victim, who was eventually led away by passers-by, suffered a fractured cheekbone which required surgery. She also sustained a cut to the back of her head, cuts to her hand and bruising and swelling to her face.
Severe injury
Raisbeck, of Eboracum Way, York, was arrested at the scene and charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm. She ultimately admitted the offence, which occurred at about 3am on January 30 last year, and appeared for sentence today.
Ms Morrison said the attack, which lasted about 10 minutes, had had a profound effect on the victim both physically and mentally.
In a statement read out in court, the victim, who is from Grimsby and was due to return home the day after the attack, said she couldn’t eat property due to her injuries.
She said the “unprovoked” attack had exacerbated her depression and self-esteem issues.
She was now reluctant to leave her home because her facial injury meant she didn’t want to see anyone.
She said her injury was so severe she even found it difficult to brush her teeth or wash her face.
Raisbeck had 50 previous convictions for 86 offences, mostly theft but also serious violence. Her last conviction was for shoplifting in July last year.
Her solicitor advocate Kevin Blount said Raisbeck had had “considerable (mental health) difficulties throughout her life” exacerbated by drug addiction and post-natal depression.
Judge Sean Morris told Raisbeck she had “behaved like a barbarian” and attacked an “innocent woman visiting York in the most vicious way”.
“You flew at her, you punched her and when she was helpless and on the floor… You kicked her in the face, fracturing the bones in her head, causing the National Health Service to get an operating theatre ready to repair her face, and you have devastated her mentally,” added Mr Morris.
He said the pre-sentence probation report on Raisbeck made for “dismal reading (and) I think the time has come where you have to learn that actions have consequences”.
Mr Morris said that “even now, in the dock, you show nil remorse”.
Raisbeck was given a 30-month jail sentence but will only serve half of that behind bars before being released on prison licence.