Chesterfield woman ended up homeless after she assaulted former partner and police banned her from the house

Donna Laidler assaulted her ex-boyfriend at the house they shared in Chapel Lane East, Hasland, on August 20, Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court was told on Thursday, October 15.

The couple had been struggling in their relationship already, which had been heightened by the Covid-19 lockdown, and the incident happened in front of her seven-year-old daughter, the court heard.

Prosecuting, Sarah Haslam said: “The victim doesn’t support the prosecution but he called police to say that his girlfriend was smashing the house up. He described that during the incident she had hit him around the head twice but he suffered no injuries.

“She admitted assaulting her partner and the daughter was present and got frightened because of the shouting.”

Laidler, 38, now of Green Farm Close, Chesterfield, admitted assault when she appeared before the court.

Mitigating, Steve Brint said that, as part of her bail conditions, Laidler was banned from contacting the complainant or going to the home, leaving her and her daughter sofa-surfing for the past two months.

“We have all been through difficult times and if you have mental health issues and you’ve been confined to the house it becomes even more difficult,” he said.

“Things had been rocky for the past 18 months and things came to ahead because of the Covid situation.”

Magistrates gave Laidler a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered her to pay £85 costs and a £22 victim surcharge.

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