Mother and her daughters brawled with off-duty law enforcement officials at bottomless brunch cocktail bar when one of many cops was known as a ‘lesbian’, court docket hears
A mother and her daughters brawled with off-duty police officers at a bottomless brunch cocktail bar when one of the cops was called a ‘lesbian’, a court has heard.
Rose Webb, 58, was eating and drinking with her children at the Cocktail Club, on Shaftesbury Avenue, in central London, when the fight began on October 15, 2022.
She and Casey Jackson, 32, Emma-Dee Jackson, 34, and Billie-Jo Jackson, 35, were sitting near a group of off-duty Metropolitan Police officers at the afternoon event.
Tanisha Whitlock, Binal Valji, Daniella Andrean, Megan Pearson and Bethan Thomas all work for the force’s Territorial Support Group, tackling serious crime.
The cops were enjoying their time off at the High School Musical-themed brunch, drinking prosecco and singing We’re All In This Together, from the hit Disney film.
But when Webb became irritated by Ms Whitlock dancing and asked if she was a lesbian, an ‘almighty melee’ soon broke out, Wood Green Crown Court heard.
The scuffle between all nine women involved kicking, punching, hair pulling and choking, jurors heard, forcing staff and other customers to try to intervene.
At one point, Webb allegedly grabbed Ms Whitlock’s hair, ‘dragged her along the floor and simply would not let go’ – before punching her in the head, prosecutors said.
Rose Webb (pictured), 58, was eating and drinking with her children at the Cocktail Club on Shaftesbury Avenue in central London when the fight began on October 15, 2022
She and Casey Jackson (pictured), 32, Emma Dee Jackson, 34, and Billie Jo Jackson, 35, were sat near a group of off-duty Metropolitan Police officers at the afternoon event
But when Webb became irritated by one of the off-duty cops dancing and asked if she was a lesbian, an ‘almighty melee’ soon broke out. Pictured: Emma-Dee Jackson, one of the defendants
Webb and her three daughters, all of Northolt, west London, all deny affray.
Prosecutor Alex Balancy told the court: ‘The incident took place at a venue on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was a bottomless brunch that was meant to start at around 3pm.
‘Two groups of females went to that event. On the one hand, you have the four defendants, Ms Rose Webb and her three daughters.
‘They were placed in a room. Seated next to them was another group. The group is the complainants. They were five off-duty police officers.
‘As you expect, everyone had been drinking and everyone started off in a good mood, singing, having a good time.
‘Ms Rose Webb, the Crown says, started trying to engage in conversation with the officers.’
The pleasant mood switched in an instant when Webb allegedly shoved one of the officers, sparking a mass brawl between all nine women.
‘At some point, one of the complainants, Tanisha Whitlock, clearly the more social one, was dancing,’ Mr Balancy continued.
‘It seemed to annoy, at some point, Ms Webb, so the four defendants appear to move away from that area.
‘At some point, Ms Webb said she was going to the bathroom and headed towards the officers.
‘It would appear that along the way, she pushed one of the defendants, which appears to have escalated.
‘Casey Jackson appears to try to diffuse the matter.’
It was then Webb asked Ms Whitlock if she was a lesbian, Mr Balancy continued: ‘It escalated. Emma Jackson came into the picture.
‘She appears to place her hand on one of the complainants, Daniella Andrean.
‘She tried to bat her hand away and Emma Jackson pushed her with significant force, and she fell backwards onto another complainant.
Webb and her three daughters, all of Northolt, west London, all deny affray. Pictured: Billie-Jo Jackson, one of the defendants
‘The whole thing erupted into an almighty melee.
‘The prosecution say violence took place, kicking, punching, pulling of hair, choking that was not warranted, that was not necessary and that these defendants, under the influence of alcohol, went over the top.
‘Ms Rose Webb, the mother, grabbed the hair of Tanisha Whitlock, dragged her along the floor and simply would not let go.
‘Even when eventually they managed to get her to release her grip, she went back and punched Ms Whitlock in the head.
‘The crown says that those four defendants simply lost it and went over the top, and that the complainants were trying to restrain them.
‘Other members of the public tried to jump in to try to separate the parties, and members of staff jumped in too.’
Bille Jo Jackson works in water safety at Hammersmith Hospital, while Casey Jackson works for a property firm with celebrity and high-profile clients.
Webb has a managerial role in a business.
The trial continues.
