An estate agent has been spared jail after glassing a man in a pub where she had gone to drink after work.
Sarah Brown, 27, thrust her wine glass into the 20-year old victim, who needed six stitches to a wound at the back of his head.
Brown – described as hard-working and successful – admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon.
At Swansea Crown Court Judge Paul Thomas said that had she glassed the man in the face, she would have been jailed for a very long time.
The court heard she had no previous convictions, but did have a caution for battery from 2014.
Brown, of Neath, was given a 12-month suspended sentence; and ordered to complete rehabilitation courses to manage her alcohol and anger issues; carry out 240 hours of unpaid work; and pay her victim £2,000.
Comments (16)
Two issues here.
1. She deserved to go down. Simple as. Typical soft ‘justice’ which, the second she gets tanked up again could have serious – even tragic – consequences for someone unlucky enough to commit the heinous crime of being in the same room as this woman.
2. The fact that she is an ‘Estate Agent’ by some use of the description is largely irrelevant to the case but sells a paper or two.
It does, however, raise the issue of whether our industry should be allowing those with clear antisocial issues work within it. We are ‘on duty’ 24 hours a day. What we do in our ‘down-time’ should be largely separated from our working persona – but will never reflect on the industry positively as that’s not the way society likes it.
Those Agents AND industry suppliers that fundraise countless thousands for needy causes are largely ignored. And when their acts are covered it quite often attracts derogatory comment from certain quarters of society.
But in exactly the same way that lawyers, surgeons, teachers – you name the profession and it fits the hole created for it – Estate Agents cannot be seen as football hooligans… as drunken yobs or worse, drunken drivers, or as thieves or vagabonds of any description.
Please – don’t just bang a button to ‘Dislike’ – tell us why you disagree with my comment.
I agree with your comment completely PeeBee, we are on duty all the time. Everytime someone cuts me up on the road i refrain from “expressing my frustration” just in case i bump into them on a viewing, or even worse a val. The amount of tongue biting we have to do is amazing compared to some professions who get away with some things. This lady should have been sent down, but importantly i would hope her employer sacks her
I think the problem with ‘anti social issues’ is that it can be taken too literally. Since I turned 20 I have been thrown out of one pub and barred from another. Did I do anything wrong? Probably in one case, and definitely not in another.
But how far should my job impact on my family life? I am, to a certain extent, the same person at work as I am away from it, just slightly less sweary and a tad more tactful. So if someone has a problem with me in either place and ‘kicks off’ I am not going to sit back and take it in either sphere. I deserve and demand respect, and if you are not willing to show me the same level of respect I show you, then I have no reason to carry on pandering to you, and you will be given short shrift.
CL
Being barred from a pub isn’t a sign that you are a bad person (which you ain’t by any stretch of the imagination in any case…) – but it doesn’t need saying that randomly glassing the barman/lady or fellow merry-maker is a fair pointer towards non-Sainthoodly conduct…
“But how far should my job impact on my family life?”
Apart from the obvious reasons – why should it? More’s to the point – why would it?
If a job requires a personality change then the person is in the wrong job.
My mantra for the majority of work situations (and keeping EYE well to one side) is ‘always treat people as you would like/expect to be treated yourself’. That applies to customers, colleagues, street-sweepers et al. We are all the same – flesh, bones and liquids held together in a reasonably leak-proof covering – but it is our personalities that make or break us as humans.
“I deserve and demand respect…”
I’ll give you two points – but I would respectfully suggest that you’ve missed something extremely important – especially when it comes to business.
A rank/title/position commands a certain degree of respect.
However, I’m sure you will agree that the person holding the title/position must earn the respect that really makes the difference.
Many years ago I watched an interview with Paul Eddington – who at the time was terminally ill. He was asked how would he like to be remembered which at the time I thought was quite a cruel question (but of course these things are fairly well orchestrated).
His response? – something along the lines of “He did no harm”.
WOW! If only we could all meet our Maker knowing that. I’m sure many believe it – but how many actually tick the box?
PS – I’d be honoured to meet you down the pub anytime (as long as you bring CountryLad and CountryBabbies, of course!) ;o)
I fully agree that I shouldn’t get respect just because of my job title, but every person is entitled to a certain degree of respect until they prove they don’t deserve it and that is what I insist on. I don’t start swearing down the phone at a client so I’ll be damned if I’m putting up with it (unless I know them and it is not actually directed at me, I’ll be flexible on that). I once had a manager that I only gave any respect to because he was my manager. As a person I’d’ve pulled my favourite trick of smacking someone on the head whilst yelling ‘wasp!’, but I still needed to at least appear to show the respect due to his position.
I’d love to be able to stand there in the Afterlife and say I did no harm. I hope that any harm I have done is cancelled out by the good things I have done for people, and the times I have tried to help.
And next time one of us is near the other, we will have to have a drink, I’ll try not to get thrown out… xx
A few years ago I was assaulted by a client.
A few years ago I was assaulted by a client.
That’s not an echo… not a software glitch – and not me having a meltdown. Well… no more of one than normal, anyways…
I’ve twice been assaulted by clients. One a buyer; one a vendor.
I’m almost certain that on either occasion I could have swatted the assailant like a fly. Probably taken them both on together and still walked away from the ruck.
As it is, on both occasions I did walk away – but I didn’t raise a finger to either party. I kept my composure and left the meetings.
I actually left my job as a result of the second incident.
As you say, ArthurHouse02, “The amount of tongue-biting we have to do is amazing” – but the amount of times we have to stop ourselves from tw@tting some chuffing eejit is, frankly, astrofrickingnomical.
You’re a better person than I am then.. Not that that is surprising!
There was a local news story about an agent who got lured to a property and assaulted by the bloke, she *ahem* rebuffed his advances and ran away to call the police. It was a woman I used to work with, and to be perfectly honest I’m just surprised she didnt put the boot in a few times before running.
I had a customer in a pub (different to the two above, good gods I sound like an alcoholic) where I worked try and back me into a corner even when I pushed him away. I punched him in the throat and legged it out the door when he was on the ground.
I have never taken well to being intimitated. Imagine a mouse going crazy and launching itself at the cat, and that the general reaction you get from me. Then I go and hide away somewhere and start crying in fright…
OI, you!!
In no way, shape or form am I – or do I believe I am – a “better person” than you.
Just a person… just like you.
From what you say, I hope your ex-colleague did exactly that. And some.
I am appalled that you have faced such a situation and frankly the tw@st@rd deserved what he got and more. You should have hoofed him in the kn@ckers when he was down.
And as for the hiding away – I’m sure we all have been there also. If not – maybe we have issues after all.
Never lose the edge, CL – but also never lose the ability to know when it’s needed.
P x
Occasionally the same person rings me up and insults me because I refused to be bribed to sell him a property cheaply. I love the fact that most of the time he uses the portal number which is if course taped!!!
Nah, I got my dad to sit in my section the next night with his police uniform on! And handed my notice in to the manager who stood there and watched, and told the regular to stay out of my section and I didnt care how drunk he was it was out of order.
And AgentV, some people really are dumb… Why would you take a bribe anyway? Its a short term gain for a long term hassle when people find out and refuse to use a dishonest agent!
Oh, and PB, she kicked him in the fork, I do know that much!
I’d be curious to know her ‘reason’ to do this. Was she drunk and trying to pick a fight? Was he getting a bit ‘gropey’ (still not an excuse to hit someone with a glass btw). No real reason, just curiosity!
Also, isn’t this sentence slightly higher than the one given to an agent who stole several thousands of pounds of tenants deposits?
According to the ‘Daily Star’ It was a stranger, to provoke the attack he turn his back on her as was not interested in her advances.
Oh, because that is a totally understandable reaction! What does she do if she is on a viewing and someone says they don’t want to buy it, run them over?
That’s my kind of neg, where do i sign her up LOL
Brings new meaning to the phrase “I’d kill to sell that property”