Sheltered housing resident threatened to kill staff member and her children

A RELAPSE into alcohol abuse led an Isle of Wight woman to threaten to kill a sheltered housing worker and her children, before ripping an electrical box off a wall with her bare hands.

Verity Lloyd, of Atkinson Drive, Newport, admitted, at an earlier hearing, causing criminal damage and using threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour, on March 23.

Lloyd, 24, had returned back to Atkinson House, Newport, at 10.45pm that day, "highly intoxicated, but in a good mood", said Lauren Stone, prosecuting, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court.

However, when Lloyd became agitated by a fellow resident, which resulted in a row in the living area, a worker at the accommodation block ordered her to her room.

Lloyd returned a short time later and followed the worker to her office, where she called her a 'whore' and a 'slut', before adding: "I will kill you and your children", explained Miss Stone.

The staff member subsequently locked the office door and activated the attack alarm.

Lloyd then returned to her room, "ripping" and electrical box off the wall "with her bare hands" and punched it.

Following her arrest, Lloyd said she could not remember what happened, but accepted she uttered the words spoken against her victim and was "sickened" by her actions.

For Lloyd, Oscar Vincent, said his client had relapsed into alcohol abuse on the day in question, with no further offending since.

Earlier last week, Lloyd appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court, where she was handed an 18-month probation order for assaults against emergency workers and causing criminal damage.

Lloyd also admitted flouting the terms of a six-month conditional discharge, imposed by Island magistrates in February, for failing to surrender to custody.

The offences at the sheltered housing pre-dated the crown court sentencing and happened during a period of homelessness, argued Mr Vincent.

Magistrates ordered to pay the Southern Housing Group £100 compensation.