Northampton woman assaulted and racially abused a man she had been letting stay in her home for two years

A woman who let a man stay with her for two years turned against him, racially abused him and assaulted him.

Karen Worley, of Harborough Road, Northampton let the victim of the abuse stay with her after she felt sorry for him when he was homeless.

After two years of the living arrangement, in one incident on July 6 last year, Worley flipped and repeatedly called the victim a racist name and assaulted him.

The 49-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of racially aggravated common assault at Northampton Magistrates Court yesterday (January 23).

Prosecuting solicitor Stella Moses, who summarised the victim’s statement, said: “The victim was in the living room and went out to the kitchen to make his dinner.

“He said she started to become aggressive. She was drunk.

“She then said ‘you black ******’, which the victim said he takes offence to.

“She said ‘I’m going to kill you, I’m going to stab you.’ And the victim believed that threat.”

After continuing to call the victim a racist name, she also hit him twice.

The victim said in his statement that there was no pain and there were no visible injuries, but that the incident caused him ‘distress’.

Ms Moses explained the incident lasted for around an hour and 45 minutes. Police then arrived and arrested Worley.

In a police interview she answered ‘no comment’ to all questions, but gave a prepared statement that came from her solicitor.

In the statement, she accepted what she had done and apologised.

The statement also detailed that Worley believed the victim was taking advantage of her by staying at her home.

Defence solicitor, Bal Garcha, said: “She said he had some control over her.

“She was angry on that day but she has expressed remorse. She gave a frank admission in the statement.

“It was in the heat of the moment.”

Mrs Garcha also pointed out to the Magistrates that the defendant has no previous convictions.

Chair of the Magistrates bench, Ms Crafurd, sentenced Worley to a nine month community order and 15 rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) days.

For the racially aggravated manner of the offence, Ms Crafurd ordered an additional five RAR days, totally 20 days.

Worley was ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £90 victim surcharge.