A woman who was late to her own plea hearing said it was ‘not fair’ that she was being remanded.

Phoebe Hale, 31, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm to her victim in Oxford on July 31, but added ‘she punched me first’. She arrived to Oxford Crown Court late and had not spoken to her barrister.

Told by Judge Michael Gledhill QC she’d be remanded overnight, Hale tearfully protested: “Why, when she punched me in the face? It’s not fair.”

A co-defendant, Gaynor Hayle, 55, of Botley Road, admitted causing actual bodily harm and was bailed to return to the crown court on November 19 for sentence. The judge ordered a pre-sentence report.

Hale returned to court on Friday after a night on remand. She was admonished by Judge Gledhill, who granted her bail and ordered a pre-sentence report – but told her to sign on at Oxford police station.

“I’m going to ignore your behaviour yesterday, which was appalling. In front of your mother, in public, you were clearly drunk,” he said.  

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