Woman hoping to be a counsellor attacked 'childhood friend' and bit her face

A row at a party between two former friends resulted in one of them throwing her drink at the other woman and biting her face. Akilah Rahman, who is a psychology student hoping to be a counsellor, had been invited to a party at a friend's home in Alexandra House, Rutland Street, Leicester city centre.

The 24-year-old did not realise her former friend would be there and an argument broke out leading to the attack. The assault, in May this year, happened the day after Rahman had been given a community order for assaulting a police officer.

Rahman was already subject to a second community order she had been given five months earlier for threatening behaviour. She was charged with assault by beating for the attack on her former friend but denied the charge and then failed to turn up for her trial.

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She was found guilty in her absence and appeared back at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Friday (November 15) for sentencing. The court heard the victim's statement to Leicestershire Police.

The victim said: "She threw her drink in my face and started punching me multiple times. She bit my face on the left cheek." The victim said she managed to push Rahman to the ground but then another young woman pulled her hair and the fight continued.

Prosecutor Peter Bettany told the court that after her arrest Rahman told the police the victim had "shouted vile things about her deceased father". Rahman also told the police the victim's bite injury was probably caused by her boyfriend, who she claimed was abusive.

Mr Bettany said it was an aggravating factor in the case that Rahman had tried to deflect blame. Rahman, of Tranter Place, Northfields, Leicester, was represented in court by Roshni Modi.

Ms Modi said: "She and the victim were childhood friends since they were very young. The fell out in a dispute about their respective partners and the relationship between them had turned sour.

"She was unaware the victim was going to be there, there were words exchanged between them. She accepts she did throw her drink at her and there was a scuffle. She accepts that her actions go beyond self-defence but she was scared at the time."

She said her client had been diagnosed with PTSD, having been a victim of domestic violence in the past. The court heard said Rahman, who has two young children, was studying at Leicester College and hoping to become a counsellor working with other abused women.

The court heard that due to her mental health issues, Rahman was not suitable for unpaid work or for a curfew.

The magistrates, having heard Rahman was on benefits, ordered her to pay £300 compensation to her victim. They waived the £620 trial costs because of Rahman's low income.