Two young women who kidnapped and terrorised a lov

Two young women who kidnapped and terrorised a love rival were both spared jail at Snaresbrook Crown Court today.

(FRI)

Lisa Ellice, 28, and her accomplice Natasha Welford, 21, forced Reah Pattern to the floor warning: ‘You’ll be lucky to see daylight again.

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But Judge Alan Simmons took pity on the two women
passing a suspended sentence on Ellice and giving heavily pregnant Welford community service.

‘This offence is serious and the effect on your victim was also very grave,’ the judge said.

‘Welford, you are of previous good character and your role was relatively minor so you just avoid a prison sentence.

‘Ellice, you behaved in a totally disgraceful, unacceptable and criminal way and custody is the only justifiable sentence.

‘Your only mitigation is your family situation and some extremely difficult personal problems you have.

‘But those problems are not an excuse that can go on forever.

‘You have sat right on the edge of immediate imprisonment and if you commit further offences you know what to expect.

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The jury heard how Miss Pattern had been sleeping with Ellice’s boyfriend, but finished the relationship in early June last year.

Miss Pattern was in Gascoigne Road, Barking, on June 26 last year when the two women pulled up alongside her.

Ellice ordered her into the car and made her lie on the floor.

When the sobbing girl’s mobile phone rang she quickly answered the call to ask for help but Welford snatched it away and hung up.

Ellice drove them to the boyfriend’s house in Holden Close, Barking, Essex so she could question both of them about the affair.

Miss Pattern was frogmarched into the flat and Ellice collected a petrol can from the back seat of her Ford Escort.

Once inside she placed the can on the floor and picked up and large metal bar, brandishing it as she fired questions at her victim.

But they were interrupted by a visiting friend so Ellice decided to carry on the interrogation at Welford’s home.

Miss Pattern was taken to an upstairs bedroom in the flat by Ellice where she was grilled again for an hour and a half.

She decided not to press charges against the girls for fear of recriminations, but changed her mind two weeks later when Ellice began mocking her.

Lyn Hayho, defending Welford, said: ‘Please bear in mind the minor role this young naive woman played.

‘She is clinically depressed following the death of her mother.

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Stewart Stevens, defending Ellice, said: ‘She is suffering from long term depression.

‘She had a very very troubled childhood and was abused at school.

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Welford claimed she had suffered a reprisal attack because of the incident and Ellice said she was terrified of a similar fate.

Ellice, of Baillie Close, Rainham, east London, and Welford, of Kent Road, Grays, Essex, were both found guilty on a single charge of false imprisonment.

The court heard how Ellice had one previous conviction for harassment from August 2001.

Welford was given a two year community rehabilitation order and Ellice sentenced to a nine month prison sentence suspended for two years.

ends