Mum ripped hair from heads of social workers

A MUM who ripped large chunks of hair from the heads of two social workers, has been ordered to perform 80 hours of Community Service and to pay her victims £150 each in compensation.

Kelly Brogan, 31, of Castleview Drive, Edinburgh, had pleaded guilty previously at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to assaulting Victoria Hampton and Elaine Franklin in the Muirhouse Social Work office in Muirhouse Crescent, on July 20 this year.

Sentence was deferred until today for background reports.

Fiscal Depute, Malcolm Stewart, said Brogan had gone into the office about 2pm and demanded to speak to her social worker.

On being told by Miss Hampton the worker was not available, she became “completely aggressive”.

She grabbed Miss Hampton by the hair, pulling her to the ground and ripping out a large clump of hair.

Miss Franklin tried to intervene, but she too had a large clump of hair pulled from her head.

Mr Stewart added: “Luckily the panic button was activated and other members of staff restrained Brogan with some difficulty”.

The Fiscal said that although both women had sore heads after the attack, they declined medical attention.

Defence solicitor, Jim Stephenson, said his client had been under a great deal of pressure. She was terrified of what she had done, extremely remorseful and was seeking help in anger management.

“She went to see her social worker, but her social worker made herself unavailable and she was frustrated”.

Sheriff Frank Crowe told Brogan: “I hope you have learned the lesson that the repercussions of offences of this kind can have beyond this court and it clearly shows what other people think of your behaviour that day”.