Homeless woman’s attack on shelter in Wigan town centre

Mother-of-three Anne Marie Seddon, 40, regularly stayed at the centre at St George’s Church (inset) in Wigan town centre since losing her home 10 months ago.

Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court heard she went there at 9.05pm on Sunday, January 5 looking for shelter after her suitcase was set on fire.

But security supervisor Kristian Hilton told her the beds had all been taken and Wigan Council’s out-of-hours service also did not have any available accommodation.

Ann Deakin, prosecuting, said: “Having been told this, the defendant became verbally aggressive and called him a b******. He then closed the door because she continued the abuse. As soon as he locked it, she kicked the door with so much force that everything in the office started shaking.”

Mr Hilton told her to move away, but she continued being abusive and kicking the door.

He went outside with a colleague and told her police had been called, after which she threatened him and sat on the floor waiting for officers to arrive, the court heard.

In a statement read to the court, Mr Hilton said he was “frustrated” that he had tried to help Seddon and was abused.

Seddon pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Graham Simpson, defending, said Seddon lost her privately-rented home when the windows were smashed and while her three children all had other accommodation, she had been sleeping on the streets.

She had been “reliably” told there was a bed available at the shelter when she went that night, he said.

He said: “It was probably frustration at everything that has gone wrong in her life. There is no suggestion in her background or history that she is anything other than a person struggling to cope.”

Seddon, who had two previous convictions dating back to 2012, apologised for her actions, Mr Simpson said.

Magistrates imposed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered her to pay £50 towards prosecution costs and £50 compensation.