Disabled mum thrown in cells after fighting intruder with a hammer to protect her baby

Carols in Campello

Credit: BPM Media

A young mum who is disabled and has a brain injury says she acted ‘instinctively’ when she fought off an intruder with a hammer at her home. Bethany Leese, 21, was arrested and taken into custody after using the hammer when a four-strong gang turned up at her home in Staffordshire. The mum-of-one said she did so because an intruder ‘threatened her child.’
Police remained at the young mum’s property for six hours with cordons set up around the area while a 20-year-old- woman was left with “potentially serious” injuries to her head and hands. Since the incident which took place on 4 January, Staffordshire Police have confirmed ‘no further action will be taken’ against Bethany.
She was detained for eight hours on suspicion of wounding with intent.
The mum-of-one claims she was protecting her two-year-old son Charlie when the woman intruder – who is known to her – turned up at her address in the early hours of January 4.
She said to ITV News: “We’ve been having petty arguments. She’d been using my number to book taxis so there were taxis ringing me at 5 am – that’s how the argument started.
“She rang my phone about 30 times and she was drunk. She said stuff like ‘watch what I’ll do to Charlie, I’ll come and splatter him all over the road’. I didn’t think anything of it at that point.”
“Then she turned up and all sorts went through my head, and I thought ‘oh my God, I think they are here to follow through with the threats.
“There were four people, three girls and one guy. They were all drunk and in a right state.
“I was angry when she called but I wasn’t worried because I’d known her for all my life. I didn’t think she would do anything like that.
“She walked in shouting and threatening me. I saw three others standing in my doorway.
“She was kicking off and threatening us. I picked up a hammer and hit her with it.
“I did everything I could to make sure she couldn’t get near my baby.
“The front door was open because my boyfriend had gone to the shops. He was sitting in his car when this happened.
“When he heard the commotion he came and got them out but they still wouldn’t leave. They were banging on the door and window. They wouldn’t go.”
After the incident, Bethany took her toddler Charlie to her mum’s house before being arrested and taken into custody. She was released on bail eight hours afterwards. “I was locked up for eight hours and interviewed. It was a horrible experience. I was fuming at the fact I was the only one arrested.
“I am disabled and have a brain injury. I acted out of instinct. I didn’t stand a chance against four people.”
The young mum says she has now cut all ties with the woman, adding “there’s no reason to speak to her again.”
“I’ve known her all my life and never expected this to happen. It’s upsetting that she has gone and done this.”
A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: “No further action is being taken”.


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Written by

Claire Gordon

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