She cuffed a young 'vandal'. Her reward? A legal bill of £2,000 and a criminal record

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1154405/She-cuffed-young-vandal-Her-reward-A-legal-2-000-criminal-record.html



Alma Harding was walking home after a church meeting when she saw three teenagers kicking a ball among the flower beds she had planted on the village green.

After months of petty vandalism in the area, it was the last straw for the arts and crafts teacher.

She called to the group, remonstrating with them, but was alarmed when they approached. One swore at her, calling her a '******* fatty', magistrates heard.

In fear, the 63-year-old lashed out with the church minutes she was carrying, and caught one of the boys, a 13-year-old, on the cheek. She scurried home, upset, and that might have been the end of it.

But the boy and his mother went to police and yesterday Mrs Harding, who sings in the church choir, was convicted of battery.

[provis99]

1. well, it WAS battery

so what's the debate here?

[tkmorris]

2. Nonsense

The teenagers instigated it, and tried intimidate her. It is perfectly reasonable in such a situation to have responded as she did.

[bertman]

3. So, had she not done something MILDLY aggressive--slap the kind with a deadly church

bulletin, and the three kids had decided that she was just a scared old fatty, so they kicked her and knocked her down and she was injured, would you say they were just rambunctious kids and she deserved what she got for reprimanding them?

Every freakin day we read about kids beating someone to death or doing something heinous to innocent people.

Your attitude is why this shit happens, provis99.

[provis99]

5. no, she struck them. and nowhere does it say they hit her

a clear case of battery. read the damn article.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

4. Typical UK nonsense, unfortunately

[JBoris]

6. What is "church minutes"? nt

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. paper document - list of church activities/business

[JBoris]

8. Ah, thanks. nt