A pair of sisters held hands in the dock after "tussling" with an elderly couple over a wedding dress.
One of the pensioners was left with permanent scars after bride-to-be Julia Shelley and her younger sibling Jessica confronted the husband and wife at their own home. The bizarre incident saw them steal a bag of cloth from their victims.
Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Friday, that the two women attended the home of Maureen and Robert Webb on Pilling Lane in Lydiate at around 2pm on August 10 2022. Sarah Griffin, prosecuting, described how they both went upstairs to Ms Webb's sewing room, from which she ran her seamstress business – the 79-year-old "family friend" having been tasked with making alterations to Julia Shelley's wedding dress.
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But she was said to have been unhappy with the state of the needlework, and a "struggle" ensued in which both the fiancée and the dressmaker took hold of a bag of materials. Jessica Shelley, 33, then grabbed both women.
Meanwhile, Mr Webb, who was said to be "vulnerable through and and disability", entered after hearing the "commotion" and witnessed his partner falling to the floor before fleeing with the bag. She was then pursued by 38-year-old Julia Shelley, but the husband intervened by taking hold of her wrist.
The defendant reacted by "twisting free from his grip", causing the OAP to fall and hit his arm – scraping his skin away. She then snatched the bag of cloth from Mrs Webb, and both sisters left.
Mr Webb taken to hospital, where doctors initially feared that he may required a skin graft – although this surgery was not ultimately required. The couple then called the police.
Officers subsequently attended Julia Shelley's home on Crondall Grove in Childwall, and were told by her partner that she was "out for dinner". She arrived at the address with her sister shortly before 9pm, and both were arrested.
Under interview, Julia Shelley denied any assault and said she "knew Mr Webb was frail and on dialysis". While she accepted taking the materials, she claimed they had been "provided free of charge".
When quizzed by detectives, Jessica Shelley "accepted grabbing Maureen's wrists". However, she stated that she had "done so to stop the matter escalating".
In a statement which was read to the court on her behalf, Ms Webb said she was left with pain to her hand which had a "major impact on her business" – with these injuries meaning that her alterations were now "taking much longer". She was also left suffering from nightmares and flashbacks in aftermath and would "wake up shouting in the night".
Her statement said: "I can't believe this has happened to me. It was so unnecessary."
Mr Webb's arm was said to have not fully yet healed, with his wounds still bleeding on occasions. Mrs Webb described her concern that her husband could have been "seriously hurt or killed".
She added: "I think about what would have happened if I had lost him. I don't understand how they thought they could come into my home and do what they did, all for the sake of a piece of material."
Both sisters have no previous convictions. Kate Morley, appearing on behalf of Julia Shelley, said: "Ms Shelley is absolutely mortified that she has found herself in crown court.
"She wishes to state how terribly sorry she is. She wishes to convey her sincerest apology for that great distress and harm that she has caused.
"She bitterly regrets that she has allowed a stressful situation to elevate. She has thought long and hard and has reflected on why she reacted as she did.
"She has concluded that at a particularly stressful point in her life, she allowed her emotions to get the best of her. She is ashamed, embarrassed and shocked at how far her standards slipped.
"References speak volumes to the character that Ms Shelley is 99.9 per cent of the time – ordinarily a kind, considerate, gentle, caring and responsible lady who devotes a significant amount of time to positively contributing to society. She is extremely sorry that, on this occasion, she allowed all of that to be thrown out of the window by her stupid actions.
"Ms Shelley's experiences with the criminal justice system have presented a salutary lesson to her. The court could conclude that Ms Shelley is unlikely to appear before the courts again."
Jessica Shelley – who was seen wiping tears away with a tissue in the dock – has since moved to Jersey, where she works in the "governmental system". Her defence counsel Nicola Daley told the court: "She would like me to reiterate her deep regret.
"She undertakes both paid and voluntary work, which also encompasses trying to assist others with social and community problems, assisting in charity work and in various disasters and the like. There are a series of references which talk about that way she normally behaves and her values.
"The fact of this conviction itself is one of the strongest punishments. She never thought she would appear in a situation like she is in now.
"She hopes in the future that she would stand back and not involve herself. She accepted what she had done when she was interviewed.
"She is extremely sorry for that. She is very unlikely to come back before the courts again.
"She has a good background. She is someone who is deeply regretful of her behaviour."
Julia Shelley admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault and theft. She was handed an 18-month community order with 140 hours of unpaid work and told to pay £1,000 in compensation to Mr Webb plus £1,400 in court costs.
Jessica Shelley, of Windsor Villas in St Hellier, pleaded guilty to assault and was fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £135. Both sisters, who sat holding hands throughout the hearing, were also handed restraining orders banning them from contacting Mr and Mrs Webb for five years.
Sentencing, Judge David Potter said: "You both have no previous convictions. More than that, I have read glowing testimonials to your general character.
"In the words of Maureen Webb herself, this should never have happened. It was all so unnecessary.
"As a result, you have each lost your hitherto good character. I have no doubt that you are both thoroughly embarrassed and ashamed by your conduct on that day.
"It was, I am entirely satisfied, wholly out of character and I accept your sincere apologies. I am satisfied that you have shown appropriate remorse.
"I have no doubt that the run up to a wedding is a stressful experience, particularly over a dress that was yet to be completed. I can only imagine that was what motivated you when you attended Mrs Webb's home.
"You frankly lost your temper in a violent way. There was a tussle over, of all things, a bag of material.
"As you well knew Julia, Mr Webb is a man who has vulnerabilities and is not in the best of health. Your reckless actions caused him to fall, which shredded his arm – causing appalling injuries in the form of huge scrapes of skin being debrided from his arm.
"It was through luck rather than judgement that he was not more seriously injured. One can only imagine what his health would have been had he had to undergo surgery.
"He has been left with permanent scarring to his arm, and it has not fully healed. No doubt to both Mr and Mrs Webb this was a frightening incident in their own home, a place they should have both felt secure in."
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