A raging shopper allegedly punched a charity shop worker and tore out clumps of her hair in a shocking row over a refused refund – the victim needed hospital treatment
A furious customer allegedly repeatedly punched a charity shop assistant and pulled out clumps of her hair during a row over a refund. Elaine Wood had reportedly gone into Barnardo’s, in Wallsend’s Forum Shopping Centre, and demanded her money back for an item bought by her mother.
However, when a worker told her they couldn’t offer her a refund as it was outside of the charity’s 14-day returns policy, the 55-year-old flew into a rage.
Wood claims she lost her temper and “saw red” after the victim pushed her as she tried to get her out of the store, prosecutors said.
She then allegedly rained down punches on the victim’s head and pulled her hair, leaving her needing to go to hospital for a CT scan due to severe swelling and bruising on her face, a court was told. Wood, of York Drive, in Wallsend, initially tried to claim she acted in self-defence but pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm when she appeared in the dock, reports the Chronicle.
Ruth Forster, prosecuting at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court, said Wood appeared under the influence of alcohol when she went into Barnardo’s on October 20 last year and demanded a refund on an item on behalf of her mother. When it was refused, she asked for the phone number of head office, which was given, and was told to leave the store.
However, Wood claimed the shop assistant pushed her as she tried to get out the door, prompting her to lose her temper. Mrs Forster continued: “The situation escalated and there were a lot of raised voices and the defendant said “I know your face now, I know your face, just wait until I get you out the store.”
She further stated: “The complainant told her to leave the store and turned to her colleague and asked her to phone security. She stood around the counter and pointed to the door saying security were coming.
“The defendant said she didn’t care and struck the complainant in the face. It was the back of her hand and it made contact with the complainant’s cheek.
“The complainant shouted at her colleague to call the police and the defendant struck her in the face again. The defendant seemed to go wild and started to hit her repeatedly around the head and face.
“She pulled the complainant’s hair and the pair fell over. The complainant felt pain in her knee and lost her glasses.
“The defendant continued to hit her and pull her hair on the floor before security entered the store and were able to separate them.” The court heard that Wood herself suffered a cut to her head from banging it when she fell to the floor, while the victim suffered swelling and bruising the face and head.
Clumps of her hair were also missing, Mrs Forster said. Wood, who has previous convictions but has stayed out of trouble since 2017, was arrested but initially claimed she’d acted in self-defence.
Jason Boyd, defending, said Wood was aggrieved about not being allowed the refund. Mr Boyd added: “It’s shameful and deeply embarrassing for her.
“She says she was in the process of leaving the store when a hand was put on her back and she was pushed. She shrugged the hand off and everything gets out of hand very quickly.
“She says “[The victim] pushed me and I saw red”.” Magistrates fined Wood £200 and ordered her to pay £200 compensation, £80 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters .