Woman strangled Kettering support worker with lanyard and left her gasping for breath

A Kettering support worker was left gasping for breath after being strangled by a woman she was helping.

She was working at supported living accommodation when Jade Goodright grabbed her lanyard and pulled it tightly around her neck.

The victim was then dragged around a room before she was able to call a colleague and break free.

On Tuesday (March 19) Goodright, 23, was handed a suspended prison sentence after admitting intentional strangulation.

Northampton Crown Court heard the victim had been working with Goodright, who has significant learning difficulties and mental health issues, for about three years when the incident happened.

They were at Goodright’s Durban Road accommodation at about 6.40pm on July 1 last year and the victim was supporting another client.

Prosecutor Quiana Fitzpatrick told the court that Goodright wanted more support from the victim and started chewing a battery before being told to take it out of her mouth.

But Goodright then grabbed the toggles of the victim’s jumper and her lanyard, before twisting it around her neck until it tightened.

Ms Fitzpatrick said: “She pulled it so tight that the victim couldn’t breathe.”

Goodright started dragging her around the room and they bashed into a fan before the victim was able to grab her phone. She managed to call a colleague who came in to help.

Ms Fitzpatrick said: “At that point she was gasping for breath but managed to break free. She ran upstairs and was sick.”

The victim suffered reddening and bruising to her neck and, in an impact statement read by Ms Fitzpatrick, said she was left feeling vulnerable and anxious.

The statement said: “I dread to think what would have happened if my colleague was not there to help.”

It added: “I do not come to work to be assaulted. I come to work to try to help these people and give them the best quality of life possible.”

Goodright, who was supported by carers in court, was interviewed by police and initially denied the incident before pleading guilty when she appeared before magistrates.

The court heard she has convictions for 19 previous offences, including assaulting an emergency worker.

Mitigating, Shanice Mahmud said Goodright has expressed remorse and now has a more ‘positive dynamic’ with the victim, who still works at the premises she lives at.

Ms Mahmud added that she was in a ‘state of crisis’ at the time is receiving ongoing care for a head injury she suffered in 2020.

She said: “She is someone who shows the first steps of promise in terms of being able to rehabilitate herself.”

Recorder Louise Cox told Goodright the offence was so serious it crossed the custody threshold – but that was able to suspend the sentence so she could rehabilitate.

She said: “The victim was providing a public service and was going about her job when you assaulted her.”

Goodright’s nine-month prison sentence was suspended for 18 months and she was ordered to complete 40 days of rehabilitation activities.