Two women have been jailed for assaulting a woman in the street after she facilitated a Valentine's Day paid sexual encounter, a court has heard. Jessica Chambers, 37, and Melody-Anne Birch, 51, attacked the victim in the middle of a busy road, forcing motorists to stop. Jonathan Francis, 44, then drove off with the victim's bag containing more than £1,200 in cash.
Background to the incident
Harry Dickens, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that the complainant, Helen Jones, spent the afternoon of February 14 at the home of a male friend in Pontardawe. The pair discussed the possibility of the man having sex with Chambers, and after a Facebook discussion, a price of £200 was agreed. Miss Jones mentioned to Chambers that the male had given her between £1,000 and £1,500 in cash.
Later that day, the three defendants drove to Pontardawe in Francis' Citroen van, with Chambers driving. The van stopped on Herbert Street, and the complainant got into the passenger seat.
The attack
As the van headed out of Pontardawe on the southbound A4067, Miss Jones heard a phone ringing in the back and realised there were other people in the vehicle. The van pulled into a layby, and Miss Jones tried to get out but was grabbed by Birch from the rear and by Chambers from the driver's seat. She managed to free herself and ended up walking in the middle of the road, forcing other vehicles to stop. Birch and Chambers chased her, grabbed and pulled her, with Birch attempting to headbutt her and Chambers striking her to the head. She was then dragged to the floor.
Francis jumped into the driver's seat and drove off with Miss Jones' bag, which contained £1,200 in cash, a passport, medication, and tobacco products. Two nurses who witnessed the incident described seeing the victim being 'slapped like a child'.
Injuries and impact
The victim suffered cuts, bruises, bumps, and a black eye. In an impact statement read to the court, Miss Jones said she was left 'looking like a mess' and that the incident worsened her anxiety and caused her convulsions to become more frequent.
Arrest and recovery of money
The van was found in Sketty, Swansea, just before 1am the next day, and all three defendants were arrested at Francis' home. A search recovered £825 from various rooms, with another £10 found 'on a roof'. Packets of cigarettes and items of make-up matching the stolen brands were also found. Chambers was taken to hospital after telling police she had taken crack cocaine. While in hospital, £340 was found in her jacket, £40 in her boots, and another £40 'in her buttocks'. All three answered 'no comment' in interviews.
Sentencing
Chambers and Birch had pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and Francis to theft. They had originally been charged with robbery, but the prosecution offered no evidence. Chambers has previous convictions, including a suspended sentence for an offence under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933. Birch has previous convictions and was subject to a community order for an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act. Francis has no previous convictions.
Judge Huw Rees said there was clearly a 'background' to what happened in the van – 'sordid or otherwise' – and that the female defendants played leading roles. With 20% discounts for their guilty pleas, Chambers and Birch were each sentenced to 19 months in prison. Five months of Chambers' previously imposed suspended sentence were activated consecutively, making an overall sentence of 24 months. Francis was sentenced to 122 days, a time-served sentence meaning his imminent release.
