Widnes neighbour feud boils over in Hough Green One Stop shop

Chelsea Byrne, of Downside, ‘just snapped’ during an argument between her and her neighbour in the queue at the One Stop in Bechers on Friday, February 9.

When the neighbour left and returned to the queue to get something she’d forgotten, Byrne called her ‘a f*****g sweat’ and shoved her in the face with her open palm.

The victim's child was standing between the pair when Byrne lashed out, and her own child was also with her in the shop at the time.

The victim told police she had been ‘minding her own business’ when the violence broke out.

Byrne denied assault by beating when questioned, and was due to stand trial at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, September 17, but changed her plea to guilty at the last minute.

Chelsea Bryne was fined £270 at Warrington Magistrates' Court for assaulting her neighbour in the local shop (Image: Newsquest)

At the 31-year-old's sentence hearing at Warrington on Thursday, October 17, Byrne’s solicitor, Mark Lever, gave details of the ‘bitter and long-standing feud’ between the pair.

He said his client claims the victim once threw a kettle of hot water over her partner, which was intended for her, and subjects her to regular verbal abuse.

Byrne also claims on the day of the assault, the victim pushed passed her daughter, knocking her out of the way, Mr Lever added.

He also said things had gotten so bad that Bryne is actively trying to move away from the area.

She also suffers from a range of mental health issues, he added, including anxiety and agoraphobia, and her current medication ‘doesn’t seem to work’.  

Prosecuting, Michael O’Cain told the court Byrne has four previous convictions including two for assaulting police officers, for which she received an eight-week suspended prison sentence in 2021.

Byrne's neighbour says the stress of the attack made her hair fall out (Image: Newsquest)

He added this was a 'distressing incident’ for the victim, though she suffered no physical injuries.

He said the stress had caused her hair to fall out, she will not let her kids play outside the house, and she now asks a family member to go with her whenever she goes to the shops.

He said the presence of their children at the time of the attack was an aggravating factor, along with her criminal record for violence. 

In passing sentence, magistrates considered the Probation Service’s recommendation for a community order, but said that, given her mental health, this was ‘setting her up to fail’.

Instead, they handed her a £270 fine plus £105 prosecution costs, and an £85 victim surcharge.

She was also hit with a restraining order, banning her from contacting her neighbour, or entering her property or garden.

The bench chose not to award compensation to the victim.