Pregnant mum-of-three, 39, brutally attacks pensioner at family funeral

A mum avoided prison after brutally attacking a mourning pensioner at a funeral.

Pregnant Danielle Oliver launched herself at Belinda Stickland minutes after the service in Cardiff, Wales. The attack left Ms Stickland, 65, in hospital with multiple rib fractures and other serious injuries. She now has long-term breathing difficulties and emphysema, Cardiff Crown Court was told.

Ms Stickland had to have fluid drained from her lungs after the assault. Mother-of-three Oliver’s attack on Ms Stickland in 2023 was deliberate and drawn-out as she continued to gesticulate towards her victim once she’d put her to the floor, causing bar staff to drag Oliver out of the Conservative Club in Splott, prosecutor Kirsten Murphy told the court.

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The staff then took Ms Stickland to the University Hospital of Wales where she stayed for nine days. CCTV footage wasn’t played to the court but was described by the prosecution. Ms Murphy said 39-year-old Oliver was looking at her mobile phone before looking up at Ms Stickland who was standing beside the bar. Oliver then launched herself towards the pensioner, WalesOnline reports.

Judge Simon Mills said he had seen from the footage how the victim had fallen “heavily” to the floor. The defendant was arrested on June 13 and answered "no comment" to all questions. The court heard how she continued to be in “disbelief” that what she had done could have caused such injuries but she eventually pleaded guilty following a plea and trial preparation hearing to assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Stickland described what the assault did to her. She said: “I was attending the funeral of a close friend on the day I was assaulted. It changed my life in so many ways. It took my sparkle away. I am now a shell of a person. Oliver was a stranger to me and yet now she is woven into the fabric of my every day. I used to go out and enjoy my life and speak to my neighbours but now I can’t leave the house. I feel it is too unsafe.”

Addressing the defendant directly, she asked: “What if you had killed me? What if you had left my children without their mother? What if you had left my grandchildren without their nan? I don’t just live with the physical injuries, I continue to live with the mental trauma. I am no longer me."

Judge Mills told unemotional Oliver in the dock: “Even brief incidents of violence can have catastrophic consequences. Any idea that a single blow to the face doesn’t do any harm is completely wide of the mark. You could today have been facing prosecution for manslaughter.

“I have heard you are surprised by the seriousness of your victim’s injuries. Well I’m afraid in the job that I do I see all of the time how momentary acts of violence have very serious consequences and sometimes fatal consequences. Once you lay your hands on someone else in such a way then the consequences can be truly catastrophic and they arguably have been in this case.”

He added: "I am not going into the background of why you made the decision you did. You were pregnant at the time and I'm aware your medication had to be adjusted. An issue was brought to your attention which caused you to make completely the wrong decision."

Dan Jones, representing Oliver, said his client has three children who rely on her including one who relies on her in particular and has specific needs. He submitted his client did not intend to cause the injuries Ms Stickland suffered and that she had shown remorse.

Judge Mills sentenced Oliver to 66 weeks imprisonment suspended for two years. She was also made the subject of a restraining order banning her from approaching her victim in any way for five years and she must complete a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Judge Mills decided against forcing the defendant to pay any compensation to her victim because he said she couldn’t properly afford it and it would mean her giving a very small amount of money to Ms Stickland each month for a number of years.

Outside court Ms Stickland’s daughter Jinaise said: “We’re satisfied with the outcome. It’s been two years now and we want to move on. My mother is 65 now and shouldn't have had to put up with this. The puncture has given her emphysema. My mother is already closer to the coffin than most and she shouldn't have to have anyone wanting to put her in there any sooner by assaulting her.”