A Knaresborough business owner has been left to foot a huge bill after two women fell through and shattered the window of his shop. 

Lauren Brent, of Whernside Close in Harrogate, pleaded guilty to one offence of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000 and one offence of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour at Harrogate Magistrates Court today (July 31).

Mel Ibbotson, prosecuting, told the court an employee at Supernews on Market Place, Knaresborough, closed the shop at 5.45pm on June 14. 

However, someone called the owner of the store at 10.20pm that evening to say the shop window had been “put through”.

The court heard the owner went to the shop, where he saw one of the front windows had been smashed in its entirety.

Ms Ibbotson said the man had CCTV footage from inside the shop, which captured a brawl between two women happening outside Supernews.

The CCTV footage, which was played in court, showed two women – one of whom was Brent – fighting, before they both fell through the window and onto the shop floor. 

The window was completely smashed, but both women got up and walked away.

The shop owner said the ordeal had caused him “unnecessary hassle”, Ms Ibbotson told the court, as well as loss of business as people assumed the shop was closed due to the window being boarded up.

The damage caused to the window was valued at £4,789.20, the court heard.

The other woman involved made a brief statement to police at the time, but she did not wish to make a criminal complaint against Brent, Ms Ibbotson added.

Brent, 35, declined to answer any questions put to her during a police interview, when she was represented by a solicitor.

Brent has a record of similar offending, but she has not been before the courts for some years.

‘They became involved in a tussle’

Mr Ashraf, defending, told the court Brent suffers from borderline personality disorder, anxiety and depression.

He told the court the other woman involved in the altercation approached Brent on the day of the offence.

Both women previously dated the same man, which has “caused animosity between them”.

Mr Ashraf said the woman walked away from Brent after an argument ensued, but Brent followed her and they “became involved in a tussle”.

He said the defendant had no intention of making contact with the window, adding both women fell through the glass at the same time.

Brent was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident, Mr Ashraf added.

Defendant is ‘angry with herself’

The case was stood down temporarily for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

A probation officer provided an oral report to the court, telling the magistrates Brent had been to the Great Knaresborough Bed Race that day.

After spending some time by the riverside, Brent and her friends went to some of the pubs around Knaresborough’s Market Place.

Brent had not consumed any alcohol that day as she "wasn't feeling well".

A verbal and physical altercation ensued after the woman approached Brent, which led the women to both fall through the shop window.

“The defendant went out with the [woman’s] former partner and that’s where the issue was”, the officer said.

Brent told the probation officer she regrets her behaviour and is “angry with herself” for what she did.

The court heard Brent’s previous offences were committed whilst drunk, but she has since made efforts to address her alcohol use.

Brent also struggles with her mental health, which could stem from incidents in her childhood, the officer said.

She has undergone therapy in the past to address her trauma and takes medication for her anxiety and depression.

Before sentencing, Mr Ashraf, defence, told the magistrates it is not uncommon for brawls to occur in the street.

What is unusual, however, is the level of damage caused to the shop window, he said.

“There was no attempt to make contact with the window”, Mr Ashraf concluded.

Brent was sentenced to a 12-month community order, during which she must complete up to 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 60 hours of unpaid work.

She was also ordered to pay £2,400 in compensation to the owner of Supernews.