A DISABLED mum was knocked to the street after being violently elbowed by a stranger while picking up her child from school.

The assault happened on November 27 when the victim was walking along the pavement on Seabourne Road with other mums with pushchairs, Bournemouth magistrates were told.

The group was approached by 34-year-old Telicia Shantell Henry, who swore at the mums before elbowing the victim hard and causing her to fall over.

Henry, of no fixed abode, then walked away from the group, but police officers later tracked her down after getting a detailed description from the victim.

Prosecutor Alison Saunders said that the victim was left with a lump on her shoulder, severe bruising, whiplash and a possible chipped bone following the assault.

In a statement read to the court, the victim said the assault had left her not able to sleep for three nights because of the pain and as a result she had lost her confidence when walking around Southbourne.

The court heard how Henry was ‘a frequent character around Southbourne’ and that she had a previous assault on her record.

Mitigating, Mark Price said Henry had issues with alcohol and previous offences of criminal damage and battery. He said: “When this offence happened she was faced with a crowd of mothers and pushchairs and couldn’t get past, so she forced her way through forcefully – it wasn’t a reckless assault.”

Mrs Saunders said that Henry was arrested in December but refused to comment in her interview with police.

Magistrates handed Henry a six-week suspended prison sentence after telling her: “This offence was committed in a group of ladies with children around. The abusive language you used was totally unacceptable and resulted in the lady being totally and utterly intimidated.”

The suspended order will last for 18 months on condition that Henry does not commit further offences.