A woman was slashed and had a loaded crossbow pinned against her neck during a wild brawl in Dundee.
Jolene Shields admitted pressing the crossbow against her victim’s neck at a flat on Brownhill Street last summer.
The woman had gone to the flat after being invited up by her former partner
Shields, 40, was in the flat and became angered after demanding the woman leave so she could sleep with the man.
The incident turned violent and eventually spilled out into the garden, where Shields slashed her with a knife.
Crossbow attack
Dundee Sheriff Court was told how the woman and man were previously in a three-week relationship.
“The woman and the (male) witness began arguing,” fiscal depute Gavin Burton said.
“He said he had a prostitute in his house.
“The accused Shields then picked up a loaded crossbow and held it against the complainer’s neck, telling her to get out as she was sleeping with him.
“The complainer took her jacket off and knocked the crossbow out of the accused’s right hand.
“She felt very threatened and scared and left the property.”
Shields followed the woman out of the flat and pulled out two knives from her waistband.
Fearing she would be stabbed, the woman kicked a gate towards Shields before punching her on the face a number of times and jumping on top of her.
The woman suffered a slash wound to her forearm.
Racist abuse
The male resident’s Portuguese neighbour overheard screaming and saw Shields spitting on the woman while they were fighting.
She called the police and Shields made a racist comment towards her.
Police attended 20 minutes later and found the man, dazed and with swelling to his face.
Shields claimed the woman and a male had attacked him.
Officers caught up with the woman who told them about the attack at Shields’ hands.
Shields was arrested and was abusive during the journey to police headquarters on West Bell Street.
The crossbow and the knives were discovered, with the victim’s DNA on one of the blades.
Shields, a prisoner of HMP Edinburgh, pled guilty to assaulting the woman by presenting a crossbow at her, pressing it into her neck, striking her on the body with a knife and spitting on her to her injury on August 7 last year.
She also admitted shouting, swearing, making threats of violence and racist remarks towards her neighbour, as well as behaving aggressively.
Spiralled out of control
Last year, Shields was locked up for 14 months after repeatedly coughing on Asda employees during a heated row over social distancing in the Milton of Craigie store.
Solicitor Anika Jethwa said Shields’ life had spiralled out of control following the deaths of her mother, brother and sister.
“She descended into quite significant alcohol and drug misuse.
“That was the condition she was in at the time this offence was committed.
“The complainer accepts she’s the one on top, she kicks the gate, she punches Miss Shields.
“She obviously did not feel threatened enough to run away.
“It’s clearly not self-defence for Miss Shields because she leaves the house with two knives.”
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael jailed Shields for 16 months.
He said: “Obviously there’s some background here but it’s no excuse, as I think you know.”
