Woman hit boyfriend’s ex with stiletto-shaped perfume bottle after social media row
WARNING: Article contains graphic images
A woman who hit her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend with a stiletto shoe-shaped designer perfume bottle has been spared jail.
Jessica Baker, 20, was in a relationship with the ex-boyfriend of victim Amelia Duckworth when the two women got into an argument on social media about him.
Their rivalry “heated up” to the point where Baker met Miss Duckworth for a showdown in a park in Poundbury, near Dorchester, Dorset, on 24 August last year.
Mother-of-one Baker brought a distinctive Carolina Herrera perfume bottle – a glass bottle in the shape of a stiletto shoe – with her and concealed it behind her back.
Bournemouth Crown Court heard she told Miss Duckworth, “I'm going to do you in” and then produced the bottle.
Baker lunged at her with it, striking her twice across the head and slashing her face, leaving Miss Duckworth covered in blood and suffering from concussion.
She was rushed to hospital where she received stitches for a gash between her eyes and her scalp was glued.
Baker pleaded guilty to one count of actual bodily harm and another for possession of an offensive weapon.
Rob Griffiths, prosecuting, told the court how Baker met Miss Duckworth with the intention of harming her.
He said: "Amelia Duckworth had been in a relationship which ended in November 2020. Her ex-partner then got into a relationship with the defendant.
"It seems that the ex had been telling the defendant about problems during his relationship with Miss Duckworth, and the defendant contacted Miss Duckworth to take issue about it.
"Miss Duckworth's response was to post some pictures of herself on Instagram, taken while she was in the original relationship and including a video of her being pushed by her ex.”
The argument culminated in Baker confronting Miss Duckworth and her cousin, Georgia Hooper, before pulling out the perfume bottle.
Griffiths added: "Miss Hooper said to the defendant 'If you have something to say, just say it then' and she responded, 'I'm going to do you in.’
"The defendant pulled something out from behind her and went for Miss Hooper, and then struck Miss Duckworth.
"She got two blows to the back of the head and was then hit in the face by what turned out to be a perfume bottle shaped like a stiletto, which the defendant brought with her from the car.”
In a victim impact statement read to court, Miss Duckworth said she had been left “traumatised” by the event and felt afraid to go out.
Rebecca Fairbairn, defending, said Baker pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and felt “genuinely remorseful”.
Judge Stephen Climie sentenced Baker to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years on condition of two month curfew between 9pm and 7am.
She was made to pay a £156 victim surcharge and subjected to a two year restraining order.
Climie also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the perfume bottle used to attack Miss Duckworth.
He told Baker: "Social media is a wonderful asset in society. There are some that say we do not adequately prepare your generation for its use.
"Learn to walk away – you don't have to read everything.”
