August 22nd 2024.
Natalie Ricketts, a 42-year-old mother, was overcome with anger and fear when she received a distressing message from her 16-year-old daughter. The message stated that her former partner, Stephen Balnaves, had assaulted their daughter. In a state of rage and desperation, Natalie rushed to Stephen's house, located on St Annes Grove in Birkenhead. She was dressed in a black Mickey Mouse tracksuit and carried a steak knife with her.
As she arrived at Stephen's house, Natalie banged on the windows and demanded to see him. However, Stephen was not present at the time. Instead, his new partner, who was inside the house, came to the window and screamed at Natalie. In response, Natalie pointed the knife at her and aggressively gestured towards her. She even spat on the window, all while wearing a Mickey Mouse tracksuit.
Natalie was caught on camera, and the footage was played in court as evidence. In the video, Stephen's girlfriend can be heard pleading with the police to send someone as Natalie had a knife and was threatening to harm Stephen. She also shouted at Natalie, warning her that she would be sectioned for her actions. Meanwhile, Natalie covered her face with her hand and cried as she watched the video.
The court heard that Natalie had armed herself with the knife after her daughter told her about the assault on social media. However, Stephen later told the police that he had only scuffled with their daughter over her untidy bedroom, and he thought nothing of it until Natalie arrived at their house.
Stephen's stepson, who was 14 years old, warned him about the situation when he returned from a school run. In response, Stephen armed himself with a large branch and used it to hit Natalie, causing her to fall and hit her head. He then proceeded to kick her while she lay on the ground, injured. Both Natalie and Stephen were arrested at the scene and taken to the hospital for treatment.
During the court hearing, Natalie admitted to possessing a knife and causing a commotion outside Stephen's house. She couldn't explain why she had behaved in such a violent manner, but she expressed remorse and regret for her actions. Her lawyer, Paul Davidson, stated that she was a single mother of three children and had no previous criminal record.
In his judgement, Judge Simon Medland recognized that Natalie's relationship with Stephen had become incredibly strained, leading her to react in an unacceptable and violent manner. However, he also acknowledged that most of the commotion came from inside the house, and Natalie had taken the time to go to the address with the knife. He considered her age and clean record and decided to sentence her to an 18-month community order, 20 rehabilitation days, and a tag curfew.
In conclusion, Natalie's actions were a result of her love and concern for her daughter, but they were also fueled by anger and fear. While her behavior was unacceptable, she showed remorse and acknowledged her mistakes, which the judge took into account during her sentencing. It is evident that the strained relationship between Natalie and Stephen had a significant impact on their actions and the events that unfolded on that day.
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