Mum who struck woman in head with high heel during assault after night out is jailed

Rachelle Parkes (28) was jailed for three months for attacking the woman in a confrontation after they left a Dublin city centre club.

Parkes had questioned the victim about airing the dispute on social media and believed the response was “rude” before flying into a rage and hitting her when they met again.

Sentencing her, Judge Grainne Malone said people were entitled to go out and enjoy themselves without facing serious assault, and video footage of the attack made for "harrowing viewing."

Parkes, a mother-of-one with an address at Montpelier Park, Infirmary Road, Dublin 7 pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court to assaulting the woman, causing her harm. A second co-accused woman was previously sentenced over the assault.

Garda Colm Maguire said the victim went to the Living Room nightclub at Cathal Brugha Street on December 7, 2019. While there, she saw the two accused and smiled at them but had no further contact with them and left the club.

She walked to O’Connell Street and was standing at the entrance to the Gresham Hotel in the early hours of the morning when there was a confrontation with the two accused, who assaulted her.

Parkes struck the woman in the back of the head with her high heeled shoe, which she was holding in her right hand, the court heard. This caused her head to bleed. The victim also had hair pulled from her scalp, the garda said.

The court heard previously she had been dragged to the ground by the hair by the co-accused, who also kicked and punched her.

The victim's injuries included bruises on both legs, sore shoulders and a stiff neck. CCTV was viewed and Parkes could be seen striking the victim with her shoe.

She had no previous convictions.

There was previously “bad blood” between the victim and Parkes, her barrister said. There was a lot of sharing of this dispute on social media and Parkes approached her to ask "why this was going on social media", the lawyer said.

She had felt the victim’s response was rude, arrogant or dismissive. She reacted when she saw her later on O’Connell Street and what happened was “completely out of character.”

Parkes was embarrassed and remorseful and apologised. She had been in a "traumatic" relationship.

Judge Malone said she appreciated Parkes was a "vulnerable person" who had been through a difficult period herself and had family responsibilities. However, she noted the lateness of her guilty plea and had viewed photos of the victim’s injuries. She also saw the video footage and heard from the victim on a previous date.

Recognisances were set in the event of an appeal and Parkes was later released having taken up appeal bail.