A 61-year-old woman’s assailant who admitted infli

A 61-year-old woman’s assailant who admitted inflicting
grievous bodily harm escpaed a jail sentence today (fri) when
placed on probation.

Trevor Monerville, 25, walked free from Middlesex Crown
Court after the judge Mr Recorder James Goudie QC acknowledged
that his that his ‘exceptional course’ may be thought ‘lenient.

‘
The judge accepted evidence that Monerville, who suffers
from a chronic paranoifd psychosis following a ‘tragic’ head
injury in 1987, was responding to psychiatric treatment as an
out-patient.

Imprisonment would undo his improvement, making him a
greater risk to the public when released.

The victim, Mrs Josephine Trevell, 61, suffered a broken
nose and arm, three smashed teeth, a serious gash on her forehead
and cuts and bruises all over her body during the August 15,
1992 attack.

She had been closing a lock gate in Regents Canal, Richmond,
Surrey, after her husband had steered their narrow boat through,
when Monerville pushed her off a ledge.

Mr Michael House defending said Monerville panicked when Mrs
Trevell opened the gate because it separated him from his
four-year-old son who became stranded on a central reservation.

‘He pushed the lady away from the bar so he could close
the gate and get to his son,’ said counsel.

‘His concern, which may have been wholly inappropriate,
was to do anything to get that gate shut so that he could
get to his son.

‘
Mrs Trevell fell several feet and was initally unconscious.

Her shocked and irate 64-year-old husband, Leslie, lunged
at Monerville with the one foot long lock gate key and the defendant
struck him allegedly in self-defence.

A charge of assault causing actual bodily harm relating to
that incident was not proceeded with and left on the court file.

Mrs Trevell was rushed to hospital by ambulance.

Police arrested the defendant soon afterwards in a nearby
street with his son.

Monerville, unemployed of Richmond Road, Hackney was sentenced
to two years probation on the condition that he continues his
pyschiatric treatment at Hackney Hospital.

He was also ordered to pay pnds stlng 250 compensation
to Mrs Trevell.

‘It was serious attrack on a woman who was not causing any
harm to you,’ said the judge.

‘She suffered substantial injuries and was knocked
unconscious.

‘Anyone who behaves that way towards a woman deserves and
should expect a substantial term of imprisonment.

‘
The judge however, said mitigation included evidence that
the defendant’s present rehabilitation would be ‘undone’ if he
were to be sent to jail.

Mr House had told the court that jail would ‘make his mental
condition worse rather than better.

‘There is a very real risk that when he comes out of prison
he will be a greater risk to the public than when he went in.

‘
Counsel added: ‘It is grave offence and the injuries are
very serious, but I feel the public would be better served if
he were put on probation.

The court heard that Monerville had a drink problem but had
succeeded in reducing his thirst for strong lager from eight to
two cans a day.

Mr Mrs Trevell had been living in their narrow boat for
the past year after selling their former house in Little Dunmow,
Essex.

ENDS