A teenager who assaulted a woman in a jealous rage was today behind bars.

Laura Kerton, 19, admitted causing actual bodily harm to her 31-year-old victim on July 1, Southend Crown Court heard.

Robert Flach, prosecuting, told how shortly after the unnamed victim returned to her Tilbury home after visting friends she heard Kerton, of Hobart Road, also in Tilbury, banging and shouting outside.

She then fell asleep only to be woken up by Kerton punching her in the face.

The woman hid her head under her duvet and later stated the attack had lasted more than an hour, during which she recieved about 200 blows and sustained bruising and a black eye.

However, the court heard Kerton, who had assaulted her victim as she thought she had slept with her boyfriend, then stopped the attack and said: "I am sorry, I did not mean to do that."

Mr Flach added two girls she did not know had helped Kerton get into the woman's house.

John Madden, mitigating, said Kerton had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, had shown genuine remorse and had made the decision to stop the attack herself.

Sentencing Kerton to six months in a young offenders' institution, Judge Frank Lockhart said: "It is quite clear that you were moved by extreme jealousy and aggrieved against this woman, who you thought as a possible rival."

Published Wednesday November 26, 2003

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