BAD blood between two people led to a man being punched by his girlfriend's mother as he sat in a taxi outside a hospital, Grimsby magistrates heard.
Tracey Poole, 51, of Sherwood Road, Grimsby, admitted assaulting Benjamin Marsh in Scartho on June 14.
Anthony Mowbray, prosecuting, said there had been disputes in the past between Poole and Mr Marsh, who was the boyfriend of her daughter, Sophie Leaning. The couple had three children.
Mr Marsh claimed Poole had never liked him. He went to hospital with one of the children and Poole also went there.
She was abusive outside the hospital and continued shouting at him after he got inside a taxi. She lunged forward while he was inside the vehicle and punched him on the leg with a clenched fist.
Rebecca Perrin, mitigating, said Poole landed a single blow and it caused only momentary discomfort. There was a history of "bad blood" and ill-will between them and Poole panicked after hearing that her granddaughter had suffered an injury.
"She knows that she should not have lashed out," said Miss Perrin.
Poole had been cautioned the previous day for assault causing actual bodily harm and assault, at least one of those involving Mr Marsh, added Miss Perrin. There had been no further problems. Self-employed Poole was given a one-year conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a Government-imposed £15 victims' surcharge.
