Mother who dragged one other mum to the bottom on the college gates and kicked her repeatedly within the face after their daughters fell out avoids jail

A mother on the school run battered another mum outside the gates after their daughters had a falling out. 

The woman was dragged to the ground by her ponytail and repeatedly kicked in the face by Jessica Kitching, 25, in Lancaster.

Kitching was collecting her daughter from school when she set upon the mother of her daughter’s classmate in September 2023. 

The children were friends, but there had been a falling out during the school holidays, Preston Crown Court heard.

A judge who gave her a suspended prison sentence said she was ‘unable to control’ her behaviour.

On September 21, Kitching followed the woman out of the playground of the school and grabbed her by her hair. 

She dragged her to the ground and knelt on her chest before kicking her repeatedly in the face.

Her victim begged her to stop because they were outside the school and there were children present. 

Jessica Kitching, 25, from Lancaster, battered another woman outside the school gates after their daughters had a falling out, Preston Crown Court has heard

Kitching is said to have dragged the woman to the ground by her ponytail and kicked her in the face during the incident in September 2023

Another friend dragged Kitching off but as she walked away, she shouted: ‘I know where you live. I’ll f***ing kill you.’

The woman went to Lancaster Royal Infirmary with grazes and bruises to her face. 

Doctors said they suspected a hairline fracture to her nose, however she did not attend a follow-up appointment 10 days later as she said she felt a lot better

In a victim statement, the woman said she was embarrassed and humiliated to have been attacked on the school run in front of other parents and children. 

She said she considered changing her daughter’s school but did not think it was appropriate. The woman was also worried Kitching would turn up at her house, she said.

Since the attack the children have played together and there have been no further incidents, a judge was told.

The attack was out of character for Kitching, who has no previous convictions.

She could not explain why she had lost her temper, but told a probation officer she was ashamed of what she had done and wanted to apologise to her victim. 

In a victim statement, the woman said she was embarrassed and humiliated to have been attacked on the school run by Kitching (pictured) in front of other parents and children

The court heard the attack was out of character for Kitching, who has no previous convictions

Kitching pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Sentencing, the judge Recorder Ayesha Siddiqi said: ‘This happened near a school and in the presence of children. 

‘You were unable to control your behaviour in front of the children. 

‘She must have been terrified by being pulled to the floor and kicked by you. 

‘There was the use of a shod foot as a weapon.

‘This offence is so serious and your behaviour that day was so unacceptable that only a custodial sentence can be justified. Your behaviour that day was appalling.’

However the judge said there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and Kitching’s child would suffer if her mother was sent to prison. 

She handed down a sentence of 30 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, with 15 days rehabilitation activities and 60 hours of unpaid work in the community.