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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Ipswich couple in drugs row
Evening Star, Ipswich
Thursday 11 May 2006 AN Ipswich couple beat up a woman and two men who turned up on their doorstep complaining they were sold underweight drugs. Donna Last struck Amanda Godfrey at least five times with a police baton outside the Lasts' Spencer Road home while her three children slept upstairs. Her husband Melvyn Last punched Miss Godfrey and her boyfriend Thomas Galligan in the mouth, he then turned on their friend Shaun McLellan and hit him in the face. South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court heard that Miss Godfrey went to the Lasts' home on October 9 last year to complain that an ounce of cannabis bought off Melvyn was “light” and the fight broke out. Donna, 35, said Miss Godfrey, who was a stranger to her, called her a “slag, bitch, ugly and whore”. Donna said she pushed Miss Godfrey towards the lounge where her husband sat and she was pushed in retaliation by the much larger woman. Donna told the court she picked up a police baton that she kept behind the hallway radiator for her protection and hit Miss Godfrey across the chest with it. Donna said Miss Godfrey grabbed her by the hair, dragged her outside, punched the back of her head and held her in a head lock forcing the breath out of her. Melvyn, 37, told the court he felt protective towards his wife and acted in her defence. He said: “The girl had my wife in a bear hug, it was like she was trying to suffocate her.” Melvyn said he punched Mr Galligan in the mouth to get past him then he punched Miss Godfrey in the mouth to get her off his wife. He denied hitting her more than once. Melvyn said as his wife crawled towards the front door he heard Mr McLellan shouting obscenities at him from the gateway. “He swung something at my head, I don't know how I managed to dodge it, I thought 'you're not going to swing at me again'. So I hit him in the face,” added Melvyn who believed the weapon was a car jack. He said Miss Godfrey and her friends then left and called the police. Donna admitted a charge of assault by beating because she used excessive force in self-defence. Melvyn denied three charges of assault by beating. He said he was acting in defence of his wife. Magistrates found Melvyn guilty of assaulting Mr Galligan in an unprovoked attack, he was also found him guilty of hitting Miss Godfrey a number of times which went “beyond what was justified”. Melvyn who has previous convictions for violence was found not guilty of assaulting Mr McLellan as he believed he was armed and was acting in self-defence. Donna, of previous good character, was conditionally discharged for 12 months and told to pay £100 compensation to Miss Godfrey. Melvyn was ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and told to pay £75 compensation to each of his two victims.
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