Blonde faces jail for slashing neighbour with her car keys in row over Facebook posts

A MUM who assaulted a defenceless woman over 10 years ago and escaped prison could end up behind bars after she attacked a neighbour last year with her car keys.

In the most recent attack, Michelle Whytock pounced on her victim due to a fall-out on Facebook.

Whytock, 29, set upon Charlene Malone just after she had dropped her children off at a primary school in the Drylaw area of Edinburgh.

She pulled up in a car outside Ms Malone's home at about 9am on June 1, last year, and the pair began to fight.

As the two women were grappling and wrestling on the floor Whytock slashed Ms Malone's arm and lower back with her car keys - leaving two deep wounds.

The street brawl started after Whytock read online derogatory comments about her dad who had recently died from lung cancer, which she thought Ms Malone had written.

After an attack on a defenceless woman in an Edinburgh street in 2005 Whytock blamed post-natal depression and following an appeal had a 12 month sentence for the assault where she kicked, punched and stamped on 19-year-old Leanne Mitchell, reduced to 250 hours of community service.

She admitted stabbing and battering her neighbour, Ms Malone, on Thursday and could find herself in jail after this attack.

The court heard co-accused Jamie Giles, who was driving the car Whytock arrived in, managed to pull the two women apart before they went their separate ways.

Ms Malone was treated at the roadside by paramedics and needed 12 stitches on the cut to her left forearm, while the wound to her back required eight stitches - she will be scarred for life.

Fiscal depute Anthony Steele told the court: “A Vauxhall Astra driven by Mr Gillies stopped across the road from her and the accused approached. The complainer began shouting at the accused and an argument quickly escalated into a fight between the two.

“The complainer struggled with the accused and pinned her to the ground. At this point Mr Gillies approached and pulled the complainer off the accused. Both Gillies and the accused ran and got back into their vehicle.

“At this point the complainer realised she was more seriously injured than first thought and noticed she was bleeding heavily from the left arm.”

Defending solicitor Jennifer McEvinney said: “There had been an issue, a disagreement, leading up to this on Facebook.

“I’m advised by Ms Whytock the complainer had made some distasteful and hurtful comments about Ms Whytock’s deceased father who passed away following a short battle with lung cancer.

“I’m not entirely sure what was said but it was such that the two women fell out. They were known to each other but never friends.”

The court heard Ms Malone had turned up at Whytock's door before the attack and threatened her.

Mr Gillies, 32, had his not guilty pleas to two charges accepted by the Crown.

Whytock was released on bail and will be sentenced next month.

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