A grandmother has described how she feared for her life after being violently attacked by a complete stranger while attending a funeral wake in Cardiff.
A Peaceful Gathering Turns Violent
Belinda Strickland, 65, was paying her respects at the wake for her best friend's partner, Terry, on 9 June last year. The gathering was taking place at the Conservative Club in Splott, Cardiff. According to Belinda, mourners were sharing fond memories when, without warning, she was assaulted.
"I felt a hard punch to the side of my head," she recalled. "Pain tore through my face and the next thing I knew I was on the floor." The assailant was Danielle Oliver, 39, a mother-of-three who was 22 weeks pregnant at the time. Oliver, a stranger to Belinda, had to be dragged from the venue by staff as she screamed hysterically.
Severe Injuries and Hospital Ordeal
The retired grandmother, who is already registered disabled with arthritis and a heart condition, was left struggling to breathe. Her face and neck began to swell dramatically. She was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, where her condition deteriorated.
Belinda spent 12 days in hospital, including time in intensive care. Medical scans revealed the extent of the damage: five broken ribs on her right side and a fractured rib on the left. Crucially, one of the broken ribs had punctured her lung, leading to a lasting diagnosis of emphysema. Horrific photographs from her hospital bed show her face swollen and covered in bruises.
Court Case and Victim's Outrage
Oliver was identified through CCTV footage and later appeared at Cardiff Crown Court. In July, she was sentenced to 66 weeks in prison, suspended for two years. She was also given a five-year restraining order and a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
Passing sentence, Judge Simon Mills stated that "momentary acts of violence have very serious consequences and sometimes fatal consequences." He told Oliver she could have been facing a manslaughter charge and noted her surprise at the severity of the injuries was misplaced.
Belinda, a grandmother of 14, has expressed disgust at the sentence. "No jail time. No compensation. She has walked free while I continue to live with the consequences," she said. She revealed that Oliver has never apologised or explained her motives for the attack. The trauma has left Belinda afraid to go to the supermarket alone, stating her life will never be the same.
