Woman faces boiling water attack charge (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Woman faces boiling water attack charge

7:10am Monday 21st January 2008 in Swindon By Gazette Reporter

A woman is to face trial by jury accused of pouring a kettle of boiling water over someone's head.

Marie Bell is said to have left her victim with serious burns to his head, shoulders and back as she was upset with the attention he was paying to her daughter.

But the 56-year-old insists what happened was an accident after she tripped over a dog in the middle of the night.

Bell, of Ramsbury Avenue, Penhill, pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent on Tuesday August 28.

She was released on conditional bail to Tuesday April 22 when she is due to stand trial before a judge at jury.

At an earlier hearing prosecutor Colin Meeke said Bell had gone to a friend's home in the early hours of the morning and after being let in asked to make coffee.

He said as the householder was upstairs the alleged victim, who had asleep downstairs, was heard screaming loudly.

The victim was said to have suffered six per cent burns to his head, shoulders and back as a result of the incident.

Mr Meeke said the motive appeared to have been the alleged victim paying too much attention to Bell's daughter.

He said Bell insisted she had gone in to offer to make the man some coffee and tripped over a dog and the boiling water went over him.