Two mothers jailed for 10 years after ‘halloween horror movie’ attack on woman while wearing ‘clown masks’
17 July 2023, 14:23 | Updated: 17 July 2023, 16:28
Two mothers have been jailed for 10 years after they broke into a woman’s home and attacked her while wearing "trick and treat" clown masks after an online row.
Kathryn Llewellyn, 43, and Teresa Morgan-Peters, 45, were both sentenced to 10 years in jail at Swansea Crown Court for their attack on a woman on halloween.
The pair broke into the home of Philippa Stevens on halloween in Ystradgynlais, near Swansea, wearing "trick or treat" clown masks as disguises.
Llewellyn and Morgan-Peters reportedly attacked the woman as a “punishment beating” after Llewellyn and the victim got into a "petty squabble" on Facebook.
The pair woke up the victim in her home on October 31 by "cackling" down the phone to her, before they later attacked her with a Stanley knife and doused her with bleach, the Daily Mail reported.
Prosecutor Robin Rouch said his victim received three phone calls at around 1am on the night and had answered the phone to hear the sound of “laughing like clowns cackling”.
As well as 10 years in jail, both women also have also been issued an indefinite restraining order against the victim.
Ms Stevens told court she thought the phone calls were her friends pranking her on Halloween, until she saw two figures walking towards her in her home while wearing clown masks.
"One started coming at me with a Stanley knife. Then the other one came at me and I had bleach thrown at me."
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Ms Stevens said she managed to remove the mask of one of her attackers, but could not make out who she was, only that she was a white woman.
She managed to flee the chaos and to run to her neighbour’s home during the attack but didn't realise she had been doused in bleach until she got to her neighbour's home and saw her black pyjama top had turned orange.
The pair inflicted knife injuries to Ms Stevens’ face, arms, back, neck and thigh – she suffered a total of six stab wounds.
The victim said she no longer keeps mirrors in her home to avoid seeing the scars on he face, and that the attack was like something from a “horror movie".
"They attacked me for no reason at all and the fact they were wearing masks makes it even worse - it was terrifying like something you see in horror movies."
The pair were found guilty of burglary, wounding with intend, and having an article with a blade or point.
In defence of Llewellyn, David Leathley said the attack was inspired by a petty argument on social media.
Llewellyn reportedly posted "nonsense" about her victim on Facebook and Llewellyn’s partner later received a message asking her to stop.
While Morgan-Peters' lawyer said their defendant had been dealing with the death of her father and brother, as well as the breakdown of her marriage.
Judge Geraint Walters said: "This was unquestionable a pre-planned, vicious attack on a woman in her own home in the dead of night by two masked intruders.
“I do not find it easy to understand that some dispute about something on social media could have brought about this horrendous piece of criminal activity.”
