No jail for mum who broke a woman’s rib

A mother who pierced the lung and broke the ribs of a woman in a fight outside a doctors’ surgery has walked free from court.

Michelle Parry (35), of Farm Road, Oldham received a community order at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court after attacking Anne Jackson outside St Chad’s Medical Centre in Oldham.

The attack was so severe that Miss Jackson spent more than a week in hospital and her lung collapsed twice. Parry must pay £150 prosecution costs and will be forced to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

A 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also sentenced for his part in the attack and given a four-month referral order.

Judge Jonathan Foster QC made no separate order for compensation to the victim.

On August 4 last year, Miss Jackson was standing outside the medical centre in Lime Green when she was confronted by the defendant.

Parry accused the victim of saying something about her family and grabbed her hair, dragging her to the floor and repeatedly kicking her.

At this point the 14-year-old boy joined the attack.

Darren Preston, prosecuting, said: “The complainant, Anne Jackson, knows both the defendants having grown up in the same area as Michelle Parry.”

CCTV footage of the attack was played to the court which saw the victim pulled to the ground and repeatedly kicked by the two defendants.

The complainant managed to escape and sought refuge in the GP clinic.

Mr Preston added: “The complainant was breathless and thought she had a cracked rib.

“She went to hospital and it was discovered she had a fractured rib and punctured lung.

“She has said in a victim impact statement that she is frightened for her family and wants to move away.

“She says she still gets severe pain, especially when carrying her son.

In defence, Parry claimed she was the real victim, that it was ‘just a squabble’ and that she acted in self-defence.

Neither defendant had previous convictions and pleaded guilty on the first day of trial to inflicting grievous bodily harm.