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Funeral fight sees 'woman's face stamped on with stiletto and hair extensions pulled out'

Jessi Probert, 22, was involved in a 'petty row' during her aunt's wake

Kate Ng
Tuesday 24 November 2015 13:36 EST
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The case was heard at Cardiff Crown Court
The case was heard at Cardiff Crown Court (Wikimedia/Ham)

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A woman had her face stamped on with a stiletto and her hair extensions pulled out during a brawl at a funeral wake, it has been reported.

Jessi Probert, 22, reportedly became involved in an altercation at her aunt’s wake in Beddau, near Pontypridd, last April when another mourner pulled out her hair extension.

Miss Probert lashed out in retaliation and was joined by her father Leonard Probert, 53, and brother Leon Probert, 31, according to WalesOnline.

Cardiff Crown Court heard punches were thrown, tables were flipped and that Miss Probert’s face was stamped on with a stiletto when she was pulled to the floor in the middle of the fight.

WalesOnline reported that CCTV footage from the wake showed how the brawl began with Miss Probert striking the fellow mourner who pulled out her hair extension. Her brother reportedly said he became involved when he saw another man, complainant Roger Sheldon, hitting his father.

Prosecutor John Lloyd told the court: “A number of family members were present and there was not a very good atmosphere between particular members.”

Mr Sheldon, who was a security guard at the event, suffered a broken nose and cuts to his right cheek, bruising and swelling in both eyes and cuts to the bridge of his nose. He is receiving ongoing treatment, according to Mr Lloyd.

Judge DJ Hale described the trio as an “excitable bunch”.

He said he “totally unimpressed”, saying: “It started with Jessi. If she had not lost her rag none of this would have happened.

“It was a bad affray, it was totally unnecessary and all three are the authors of it. You took it with great vigour.

“This was a totally unnecessary piece of violence. Drink, family tensions and family dislikes all came into it. Whatever the argument had been you should have just walked away.”

Leon Probert's defence solicitor said "emotions were inevitably high", while Stuart George, defending Ms Probert, insisted her actions were "retaliatory".

Brawl outside Boujis

Miss Probert and her brother admitted affray while her father admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm.

All three defendants were handed a suspended sentenced of four months in prison, and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

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