A dog-walking dispute in Canterbury escalated into violence when a woman allegedly seized another walker by the hair and repeatedly punched her in the face after their pets became involved in a confrontation.
The incident began when two dogs belonging to Lucie Marsh lunged at a German shepherd being walked by Lisa Wood.
Ms Wood tried to protect her dog by kicking out at the animals, prosecutors said. Marsh then ran towards her, struck her several times and spat in her face.
CCTV from the bridge in Canterbury, Kent, captured the aftermath, showing Marsh laughing before leaving the scene.
Ms Wood, who works as a midwife, suffered a black eye and was forced to take four weeks away from work. She has since said the attack has left her feeling “scared of my own shadow” whenever she takes her dog outside.
Marsh was charged with assault by beating and received a six-month community order.
She also admitted being the owner of a dangerously out-of-control dog and was fined £50. Marsh was additionally ordered to pay the victim £300 in compensation.
Prosecutor Lucie Fish showed magistrates the CCTV recording from the March 2 incident.
The court heard that Ms Wood had her German shepherd on a lead and under control as she crossed the bridge when she spotted two dogs approaching.
CCTV footage shows Lucie Marsh, 25, punching midwife Lisa Wood in the face
Marsh delivered multiple blows and spat in her victim’s face before laughing and walking away, a court heard
Lucie Marsh, of Canterbury, outside Margate Magistrates’ Court
‘One, a cane corso, lay on the floor as if to look at her, but the second dog [a mastiff called Enzo] ran and attacked her dog, and the other dog then formed the pack mentality and also attacked her dog,’ the prosecutor said.
Ms Wood ‘kicked out at both to try and get them off her dog’ and also pulled the German Shepherd away as it was still on the lead.
Marsh then grabbed Ms Wood by the hair, with the force causing her to ‘almost fall back’.
The prosecutor said: ‘Her AirPods were pulled out as she was yanked, and then she was pushed and punched in the face, and the defendant was shouting, ‘You kicked my dogs’.
‘She then hit her a further two times and then spat in her face, and it landed on her cheek. This offence was aggravated by the spitting in her face.’
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The court heard Ms Wood also suffered scratches during the incident, as well as slight whiplash from being yanked backwards. The dog was uninjured.
Her victim impact statement was read to the court, in which she said: ‘It was the first time I felt like a victim, and now I am scared of my own shadow when taking my dog for a walk.
‘I had to have four weeks off work, and it’s set me back.’
Marsh, 25, was later charged with assault by beating and being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control.
She admitted both offences when she appeared in court in August. A pre-sentencing report was ordered, and she returned to Margate Magistrates’ Court on September 9.
JPs heard Enzo was not seized by police and magistrates could make a contingent destruction order if they chose to.
The bench was told Marsh has a significant attachment to her pet, which she acquired after the death of her sister, and that he was an emotional support for her.
They also heard she sprang into action that day to ‘defend her dogs’, as they remind her of her sister.
Marsh was said to be deeply regretful and ashamed of her actions and had phoned her mother in tears after the attack because she was horrified by her actions.
The court also heard she had suffered significant trauma as a child.
Since the incident, she has addressed her behaviour through therapy and undertaken training with the dog, which is now only walked with a lead and muzzle.
Magistrates decided to follow the recommendations in the pre-sentence report and placed Marsh on a six-month community order for the assault offence, requiring her to complete 15 rehabilitation sessions.
She was fined £50 for having a dog that was dangerously out of control and ordered to pay £300 compensation to Ms Wood.
Magistrates also told her she had to pay a victim surcharge of £115 and £85 in court costs.
The bench decided not to make a contingent destruction order on Enzo.
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