Girl, 18, who attacked motorcyclist at Tesco roundabout in Stroud is given a second chance (From Stroud News and Journal)

Girl, 18, who attacked motorcyclist at Tesco roundabout in Stroud is given a second chance

12:00pm Sunday 3rd March 2013 in News By SNJ Reporter

A MOTORCYLIST was dragged from his bike and attacked by a woman and two young men outside Tesco in Stroud, a court heard.

Jezzamine Taylor, 18, launched the entirely unprovoked assault on Joseph Lord and her companions then joined in, Gloucester crown court was told.

Taylor struck Mr Lord, breaking the visor of his helmet, and one of the men then dragged him off his motorcycle. said prosecutor Giles Nelson.

He said Mr Lord was punched and kicked to the head and was left with a sore left wrist and elbow. His motorcycle handlebars were bent.

Taylor, of Parliament Street, Stroud, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and criminal damage on Friday.

Judge William Hart deferred sentence on her till 4th July to see if she can stay out of trouble. He told her she would not  be locked up if she behaved until then.

Mr Nelson had told the judge that Mr Lord, who is in his late 30s, was riding in Stratford Road at about 10pm on 24th September last year when he saw a group of young people.

As he entered the roundabout at Tesco, Taylor stepped out in front of him and he stopped.

She then shouted abuse at him and slapped him around the head causing his visor to break.

"The two young men then joined in and Miss Taylor attempted to hit him again. He pushed her away but that appeared to be the catalyst for further gratuitous violence by the two young men," said Mr Nelson.

"They punched and kicked him to the ground. His motorcycle was knocked down as well. He suffered injuries including a sore left wrist and elbow. The visor was cracked and the bike handlebars were bent.

"He said the incident lasted a few minutes,

"He told the police 'I don't know why it occurred. I cannot think of any possible connection between me and them and I didn't do anything to provoke them."

Paul Trotman, defending, said one of the young men involved had been sent to the youth court to be dealt with. The other is denying involvement and a trial is awaited.

Taylor was 'now starting to mature' after having had a 'fairly difficult history' since the age of 16 when her mother and she fell out and she went into sheltered accommodation, he said.

Judge Hart told Taylor it had been 'a deplorable piece of conduct' but he was prepared to give her a chance to show that she was changing her ways.

"I don't know why you did this," he said. "It was an extraordinary thing to do. If it was someone you didn't like it would be bad enough but you took on an innocent stranger going past on his bike.

"You then precipitated action by others who no doubt thought you would appreciate their involvement and it would get them into your good books."

The judge said he feared there was 'something in your make-up' which made her behave badly but he hoped he was wrong and she would not offend again.