A child support worker grabbed a neighbour on their front doorstep and shouted “get the f***ing s**thouses out of here” as she led a terrifying gang attack.

21-year-old Bethany White, from Liverpool, helped pull Janet Smith aisde so four male friends could storm the mum-of-two’s property as one of the gang shouted at the mum: ”I will break your neck. I will shoot you.” She was left with bruising to her arms and hip as a result of one of the men bundling her over.

White had denied being any part of the incident, saying that she had been returning home from a day out at a park when she claimed she came across the commotion outside her neighbour’s house. But a judge called her evidence “rehearsed” and White, who works for an agency as a support worker for children with autism, was convicted of common assault after trial at Sefton Magistrates’ Court.

The incident happened on September 8, 2023, following a nine-year neighbours’ dispute between the victim and White’s mum. The victim, who lives with her partner and two sons, told the hearing relations between them and the White family were “awful” and added: “I do not open my mouth. It is all them.”

She said had came home from the shops with one of her sons at around 6.30pm when there was banging and shouting at the front door. She told the court: “I opened the front door – I did not know who it was but I heard a man say: ‘I will break your neck you f***ing slut,’ and ‘I will shoot you.’, Liverpool Echo reported.

“He said he was going to get me thrown out of my house and that my house was going on fire and that I was getting shot. He was banging and kicking the door and I told him to go away. But he was in my face and Bethany was to my left hiding in the corner. She grabbed me by my work top and I said ‘What are you grabbing me for?’ But she said ‘Get the f***ing s**thouses out of here.’

“She grabbed me there as I stepped back and I said ‘back off the step’ to block the man from getting into my house. That is when he pushed me and threw me. As soon as I got up he said ‘I’m going to break your jaw.’ I was just dazed. I had only just finished work.”

When asked if she had any inkling what the assault was about she said: “No, nothing.” She said the whole incident lasted a few seconds and when she was pushed she landed on the floor in her hallway.

Police said CCTV of the incident showed six possible suspects including Bethany who was seen walking along the street in a short blue dress and followed closely behind by a group of four men in T-shirts and shorts. White had claimed she did not know there was any issue with the victim, and was not involved in the attack. She told the court: “I did not think there was any sort of problem, and every time I saw her I smiled at her.

“It was a nice day she said had been for a walk with a friend around the park and she dropped me off and I saw a group of boys outside [the victim’s] house. They were shouting and arguing with [the victim and her son]. Then he shouted at me ‘you will get it as well you little sl**’ and I was offended. I have never argued with any of the family and I just shouted ‘who are you calling a little sl**?.’

“The boys started shouting at him again and he then ran out with a knife in his hand. I remember him shouting things about stabbing the boys and said ‘you will get it as well.’ So I was a bit scared. He has followed me home a few times as well and is a bit creepy. I did not do anything. I was just walking up to my auntie’s house when the police came. I did not know any of the boys.”

In a statement read out in court, the victim said: ”I often struggle to sleep at night thinking about the incident. I no longer enjoy being at home and take refuge at work away from work. No person should have to feel like this and not feel safe in their own home.”

Character references submitted to the court said White had ”always demonstrated exceptional manners, respect, accountability, integrity and thoughtfulness about other people.” But District Judge James Clarke told White her evidence was ‘rehearsed’ and said: ”I found [the victim] to be an honest and compelling witness and told me the truth – namely that you did lay hands on her and tried to pull her away from the address.”

He added: “This was a terrible choice on the day really although I will accept that this was very much out of character and that you have a chosen career path which demonstrates someone who does care, is positive and wants to assist people

“I take this as an anathema really, something out of character for you. There were all older and perhaps wiser people involved and you got caught up in the moment. “But you have not helped yourself by trying to cover up. If you get involved in a group activity then unfortunately the consequences can be quite significant.”

White was conditionally discharged for 12 months and ordered to pay £426 in costs. The men she was with were never identified while the victim’s son did not give evidence.

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