Powys woman hit Newtown Covid vaccine staff member with car

Georgina Whittingham, 48, had been asked to move her car after arriving at the Newtown mass vaccination centre at Maldwyn Leisure Centre on December 14, 2021.

She had blocked other vehicles but became dismissive when asked by members of staff to move. She then struck Anna Bentley with her Mercedes Benz, pinning Ms Bentley against an object and causing injuries to her leg.

She also turned violent towards security guard Darren Williams when he intervened.

Whittingham, of Leighton View, Welshpool, had denied assaulting Ms Bentley and Mr Williams but was convicted at her trial in September.

In a separate incident in Berriew from April this year, she admitted assaulting a woman at a pub and using threatening behaviour towards another woman.

OTHER NEWS:

• Arrest warrant to find Newtown man who attacked neighbour
• Newtown's new £1.5 million riverside venue official opening date set
• Welshpool Powys man digging at Wrexham badger sett fined

At her sentencing hearing in Welshpool this week, magistrates heard Whittingham “lived in crisis”.

“She is essentially a nice person but finds it hard to cope in stressful situations," said defence solicitor Rob Hanratty.

Whittingham had originally been charged with dangerous driving at the vaccination centre, but this was dismissed and she was instead convicted of careless driving. She had admitted one charge of threatening behaviour at the vaccination centre – but denied the two assaults.

Prosecutor Justin Espie told Welshpool Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, October 18: “The defendant was parking her car, staff asked her to move and said she couldn’t park there.

"She was dismissive and had blocked oncoming cars. She moved forward and hit a member of staff, hitting her leg and squashing her, causing soft tissue injuries.

“A security guard became involved, the defendant became aggressive and violent. She swung punches at him and these hit him.”

The Covid vaccination hub was set up at Maldwyn Leisure Centre

In a victim impact statement provided by Mr Williams, Mr Espie said: “The whole thing was ridiculous; all she had to do was move her car.

“I am used to violence, with working at festivals and similar events, but this incident has made me wary, and I always now have to have female security staff with me.”

Mr Espie said the second wave of charges related to an incident at the Talbot Hotel in Berriew on April 21 this year.

“The landlord became involved and the defendant was told to leave," he said. "She said ‘I’m not scared of you’ and headbutted her victim, causing a cut.”

Whittingham was also charged with using threatening behaviour during the incident. She admitted these two offences on Tuesday.

Mr Espie said a request had been made for a restraining order.

“She is a single person who lives by herself. I would suggest that a curfew would be appropriate to cope with the demands of the pets she has; she has dogs that need walking,” Mr Hanratty added.

Magistrates issued Whittingham with a community order that will last for 18 months, to include 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and a four -week curfew between 9pm and 7am.

She was told there would be no separate penalty for careless driving or the two Berriew incidents.

She will have five points placed on her licence for the careless driving matter, and must pay £150 compensation each to Darren Williams, Anna Bentley and Jackie Pryce, plus trial costs of £770, and £85 costs for the Berriew case – leaving Whittingham facing a total financial penalty of £1,305.

She was also barred from going within 100 metres of the Talbot Hotel for 18 months.