Chesterfield woman who beat OAP stepfather avoids jail amid “panic attack”

Susan Oxley, 55, stormed out of the dock midway through her sentence hearing at Chesterfield Magistrates Court, saying “I’m sorry, I’m having a panic attack”.

District Judge Andrew Davison - who described Oxley’s offending as “mean” - was forced to adjourn the defendant’s morning hearing until the afternoon.

Oxley was found guilty of four counts of assault by beating following a trial which heard the defendant would “fly into a rage” “every other day” - taking her anger out on her frail stepdad.

“Disabled” Oxley, who also suffered with anxiety, punched the 82-year-old in the face causing nosebleeds, pulled his hair and would kick the back of his seat as he drove her around in his car.

As part of her sentence Oxley was handed a three-year restraining order not to contact her late mother’s partner.

In a statement read out to court the OAP said: “I want a restraining order in place against Susan - the reason is for the continued assaults against me when she lived at my address.

“She made me feel uncomfortable living in my own home.”

During Oxley’s trial prosecutor Denis Quinn said Oxley, who moved in with her mother and stepfather shortly before her mother died “contributed nothing at all to the household”.

Mr Quinn said tight-fisted Oxley - who received disability benefits - gave “nothing” in terms of finances or physical help to her ageing stepdad - who received just £800 a month state pension and was “hard-up”.

Oxley’s crimes came to light in February last year when a police officer noticed cuts and scratches on her stepfather’s head and hands.

He came to the officer’s attention while getting a cup of cold water for his stepdaughter from a dispenser at Chesterfield Royal Hospital as she waited in his car outside.

The court heard the harangued pensioner would take Oxley for night-time walks around the grounds of the hospital at her request as it “calmed her”.

Oxley, who would stay in bed until 2.30pm everyday, had her daily meals cooked and paid for by her victim, who also drove her around daily for her night-time walks at the hospital with no offer of money to cover fuel, which cost around £15 every couple of days.

Sarah Wilkins, the pensioner’s next door neighbour, described how she visited him the day after the hospital incident and saw “scratches on his face, neck, arms and hands”.

She described hearing Oxley “shouting and screaming” at the victim in their garden - “effing and blinding” at him to “get in the house”.

Oxley, of Levens Way, Newbold, was jailed for 16 weeks suspended for 12 months, handed 20 rehabilitation activity days.

She was ordered to pay £250 compensation, £250 court costs and a £128 victim surcharge.

As she left the court she addressed the judge, saying “thank you Judge Davidson”.

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