A woman described as 'out of control' has been handed a five-year restraining order after she cut down her neighbour's wisteria plant and then repeatedly struck her with a crutch. Atidel Boutara Cook, 50, was convicted of criminal damage and assault following the incident on December 17 last year in Tottenham, north London.
Attack Caught on Video
The court heard that Boutara Cook called her upstairs neighbour Pei Wong a 'f****** bitch' before hitting her once on the forehead and twice on the chest with her crutch. The attack occurred after Ms Wong and her husband Louis Scott confronted Boutara Cook about cutting down the wisteria and pulling out other plants in the front garden of their Victorian house in Stanhope Gardens.
Mr Scott testified that when his wife began filming the encounter on her phone, Boutara Cook 'seemed to rather lose control of herself, started screaming abuse and waving her arms, she grabbed my wife's phone... She also then came up to my wife and struck her a number of times with her crutch.' He added that he 'caught' his wife as she fell backwards after being struck.
Court Proceedings
During the trial at Highbury Magistrates' Court, video footage from Ms Wong's phone was shown. The defendant could be seen holding large garden shears, and Mr Scott was heard saying, 'This is really horrible, you doing this.' The phone was then dropped, and screaming and shouting, including repeated swearing, could be heard. District Judge Oliver noted a 'metallic-like sound, thumping on to Ms Wong' consistent with the sound of a crutch.
Defence Claims
Boutara Cook's defence lawyer, Bilal Miah, suggested that Ms Wong and her husband had attacked the defendant, but Ms Wong denied this, stating, 'I didn't assault her, I didn't scratch her... The defendant come to me and with her crutch she hit me.' Boutara Cook admitted cutting the wisteria but claimed it was 'dead' and affecting air quality in her flat. She also asserted that she had contributed financially to the plant, saying, 'They plant it but we give them the money.' However, the court heard she had not checked her leasehold agreement or sought permission before destroying the plant.
Judge's Verdict
District Judge Oliver found Boutara Cook guilty, stating, 'I find you guilty of assaulting Ms Wong by assaulting her three times with the crutch. I'm sure the plant belonged to the complainant and Mr Scott.' He added, 'I'm afraid I find your evidence to be palpably untrue and I reject it... I am sure that you are guilty.'
After sentencing, the judge noted that Boutara Cook immediately breached the restraining order by making a kiss towards her victims and saying 'happy?'
