Brawling mother-of-six fought on while pregnant, judge told

Unborn child could have been harmed, court hears

A JUDGE has expressed astonishment over the violent behaviour of a mother of six, who continued brawling even when pregnant.

Imposing a suspended prison sentence on 27-year-old Sara Marie Chandler, District Judge Davinder Lachhar told her: “You just can’t keep behaving like this.”

Helen Waite, prosecuting, told West Berkshire Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, May 26, that the latest attack by Ms Chandler, of Hamilton Court, Newbury, meant she was in breach of a conditional discharge imposed just days earlier for a similar assault.

Ms Chandler has a history of violent offending, the court heard, and in the latest instances had attacked a 15-year-old girl and punched another woman’s face.

Ms Chandler admitted the latest offence of assault by beating and further admitted that this placed her in breach of a conditional discharge imposed for a similar offence.

Her admission meant she was liable to be punished for the original offence, as well as for her latest assault.

Phil Kouvaritakis, defending, said: “At the time of both these instances she was pregnant with her sixth child.”

Judge Lachhar interjected: “I would have thought that going round having physical altercations was the last thing she’d want to do, then – for her own protection and that of her baby.”

Mr Kouvaritakis went on to explain that the 15-year-old aggrieved had threatened his client by telling her: “I’m going to kick that baby out of you.”

Again the judge intervened, saying: “Well that would have been a good time to walk away, in case the baby was harmed.

“She can’t just go round beating people up. I’m really concerned. These are nasty assaults.”

A probation officer told the court that Ms Chandler had “anger management issues” stemming from a personal tragedy.

But Judge Lachhar pointed out: “Some of her offending pre-dates that.”

Told that imprisonment would have a devastating effect on Ms Chandler and her six children, the judge replied: “She knew the possible impact it would have when she was carrying out these offences.”

Turning to Ms Chandler, Judge Lachhar told her: “You can’t go on behaving like this. You were given a conditional discharge and re-offended within days.

“One offence was committed while you were on bail and, in another, the aggrieved was a young person, which is an aggravating factor.”

She added: “Your offending has passed the custody threshold, so I will pass a custodial sentence – but I will suspend it.

“If you commit further offences, it will be activated.”

Ms Chandler was sentenced to 10 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.

She was also made subject to a 20-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and ordered to comply with a daily curfew between 7pm and 6am, enforced by an electronic tag, for two months.

Finally, she was ordered to pay £300 costs plus £70 compensation to one of her victims and £60 compensation to another.