Moment 59-year-old launches at lady with shovel in assault on couple
This is the shocking moment a former police officer smashes her neighbour over the head with a shovel during a spate of horror attacks on a couple before being jailed today.
The Usk woman, Paula Attwood-Rees, assaulted a Monmouthshire couple both inside and outside their home in May this year while using several dangerous weapons during the attacks.
In the footage, released by Gwent Police on X, Attwood-Rees could be seen in a blue t-shirt approaching a woman standing near a hedge while holding a shovel in both of her hands.
The charity worker then lifts the gardening tool before hitting it over the woman, as a motorist drives by and parks up after witnessing the distressing attack.
Attwood-Rees can then be seen raising the shovel again and slamming it down over the lady as another passerby intervenes.
Paula Attwood-Rees (pictured in blue t-shirt) assaulted a woman after hitting her over the head with a shovel
In footage, the woman, 59, can be seen holding the gardening tool with two hands before striking her victim again
Attwood-Rees also damaged two parked cars during her violent rampage
He grabs the shovel out her hand as the victim falls to the floor on all fours, struggling to stand up.
Attwood-Rees hit the woman with a shovel outside the property after causing damage to two parked cars.
The clip captured the moment she was tackled to the ground and handcuffed by officers after carrying out the violent acts.
The attack came after the defendant had entered the couples home and punched the woman, Jacqueline Teague, 69, in the face, while also striking the man, Chris, 70, on the head with a poker.
She had kicked her way through the French windows into the couple’s living room and punched Mrs Teague in the face, breaking her nose and slicing her wrist open with one of two knives, the court heard.
Mr Teague tried to stop her and was hit with the iron poker and was slashed with a knife.
Attwood-Rees told them that she was going to kill the pair of them. The attack then continued outside the front of the couple’s house.
Attwood-Rees pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, aggravated burglary with intent, common assault of an emergency worker, and two counts of causing criminal damage to property, according to Gwent Police.
She also pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon – a cattle prod electric shock device, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, and possession of a knife blade/sharp pointed article in a public place.
The charity worker was jailed for more than six years after pleading guilty to wounding with intent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, aggravated burglary with intent, common assault of an emergency worker, and two counts of causing criminal damage to property, and possession of a prohibited weapon
The victim was left on the ground after a man stepped in to stop Attwood-Rees from attacking her
The clip captured the moment Attwood-Rees was tackled to the ground and arrested by officers
Detective Constable Abigail Short, the officer in the case, said: ‘Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own homes and on their property.
‘It was truly terrifying for these two victims when the defendant burst into their home uninvited with the sole intention of attacking them and causing harm.
‘Luckily neither were seriously injured but the potential risk of harm that these dangerous and prohibited weapons could have caused is frightening.
‘I hope the victims can continue the process of moving on and rebuilding their lives after this traumatic attack, but I’d also like to thank the man whose brave actions prevented further escalation.’
When police arrived to the shovel incident, she kicked PC Wayne Harrington as he was trying to put handcuffs on her.
The court was told Attwood-Rees has previous convictions dating back to 2008 when she refused to provide a specimen of breath.
She was also convicted of assaulting two police officers and was given a community order.
Judge Jeremy Jenkins noted this was the third time she had been convicted of assaulting police officers.
The court heard she has suffered from PTSD after serving as a response officer with South Wales Police.
Attwood-Rees was sentenced to six years and two months in prison when she appeared at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Tuesday 22 October.
