Drunken couple's terrifying assault on bus passenger (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Drunken couple's terrifying assault on bus passenger

7:00pm Thursday 4th October 2012 in Local By Helen Morton

A COUPLE assaulted a passenger in a drunken rage after he spotted they were smoking on the bus.

Camilla Barnaby and her boyfriend Kristoffer Mallion assaulted Simon Scott on a bus travelling between Basingstoke town centre and Chineham on October 19 last year at about 8.30pm.

Winchester Crown Court heard that Mr Scott was subjected to a terrifying assault by the pair and has been left with medical problems after 38-year-old Barnaby smashed a wine bottle over his head.

Barnaby and Mallion, 31, both pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and were in court to be sentenced.

Simon Foster, prosecuting, said: “A fellow passenger, Simon Scott, saw some cigarette smoke and suspected the defendants were smoking...Mr Mallion was heard to say he was going to ‘bang him up bad’.”

However, Mr Foster did not specify what in particular had sparked the row.

But he said that Mallion, of Otter-bourne Walk, Sherfield-on-Loddon, threw punches and beer at Mr Scott, who defended himself, before Barnaby smashed a wine bottle on his head, breaking the bottle.

The bus stopped to allow other passengers to get off and Barnaby and Mallion ran away.

The victim was taken to Basingstoke hospital with cuts, bruising and an abnormal heart beart.

Barnaby and Mallion were later identified by another passenger, who subsequently saw a picture of them during an appeal for information.

Defending Barnaby, of Binfields Close, Chineham, Matthew Scott said: “She has been seeing a psychiatrist. Alcohol is the problem for her.”

Jodie Mittel, defending Mallion, said her client had not been the one using a weapon during the assault.

She said Mallion and Barnaby were still in a relationship, though they did not live together.

Judge Andrew Barnett sentenced Barnaby to eight months in prison, suspended for one year with a supervision requirement of one year and a thinking skills requirement for 20 days.

She was already subject to an ASBO from a previous offence, which prohibits her from drinking in public places and associating with Mallion in public in Basingstoke Mallion was given a community order for two years and a requirement to attend 26 sessions with Resolve.

He was also made subject to an ASBO forbidding him from drinking in a public place and preventing him from associating with Barnaby in public in the Basingstoke area.

Judge Barnett described the assault as “extremely serious”.

Looking at the victim impact statement from Mr Scott, he said: “Unfortunately, it looks as though being hit on the head has caused a blood clot and he gets headaches.

“He is now somewhat nervous about getting on buses.”