Drunk Fleetwood teen flew into a rage when her dog refused to dance at her 18th birthday party

A drunken teenager who flew into a rage when her dog refused to dance with her at her 18th birthday party has narrowly escaped being sent to prison by a judge.

Brooke Thornley viciously attacked both her parents and her sister – as well as kicking the family pet around the house – after losing control on her big night.

Her mother, father and sister were injured in the 20-minute flare-up after they had all been out celebrating, Preston Crown Court heard.

The judge was told she also lunged at her mum with a kitchen knife and then went on the rampage causing extensive damage to the family home.

Thornley, from Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to two charges of causing actual bodily harm to her mum and sister, one of assaulting her dad by beating, having a bladed article (a knife), causing criminal damage and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

Barrister Kira Unsworth, prosecuting, said that the victims in the assaults had been her family, but they were no longer supportive of the prosecution and had declined to give impact statements to the court.

The family had been out at a pub in Fleetwood on May 16 this year celebrating Thornley’s 18th birthday. Her father left the party early at around 8pm and went home where he fell asleep.

The others returned to the house about 11.30pm and at that point there were no issues. They continued drinking and playing music.

Thornley was intoxicated and at one point she picked up the family dog by the front paws and started to dance with it. But the pet wriggled free and barked, causing her to scream at it before kicking out.

The dog ran off and she followed, screaming and aiming more kicks at it. Her sister stepped in between her and the animal and put her hand on Thornley’s shoulder saying: “It’s OK, leave him alone, you’re just drunk.”

Thornley continued to shout at her sister and tried to get at the dog. At that point her mother came into the room to try and defuse the situation. By now the sister was sitting on the floor and Thornley ran towards her and kicked her at full force, causing her pain in her back. She continued to kick her hard to her head, legs and body.

The mother tried to protect the sister and was struck in the face by Thornley, causing her a bruised cheekbone. Thornley was still screaming and hit her mum several more times causing her to fall on the floor. Her mum tried to calm her saying: “It’s alright, tell me what’s wrong.”

Thornley then said she was going to kill her mother, picked up a kitchen knife and lunged towards her. But the mum grabbed hold of her wrist and pushed her against a kitchen cabinet, causing her to drop the knife.

The assault on the mother continued with more blows with Thornley screaming abuse. She then smashed the kitchen cabinet and also damaged the kitchen door together with other items nearby.

She went into the living room where she began smashing property and breaking the door. Then she ran upstairs and started banging on her sister’s bedroom door, repeatedly shouting “I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you.”

At this point her father confronted her and said: “What’s happening?” Thornley replied: “It’s all kicking off.”

The father told his wife to call the police and then, in a struggle with Thornley, they fell to the floor, causing him an injury to his wrist.

Ms Unsworth said that when the police arrived Thornley became aggressive with them and had to be handcuffed before being arrested. She gave “no comment” answers to all questions in an interview at the police station.

Later she told the police she didn’t realise she had hurt the family dog. She said she had not intended to injure it.

Her sister sustained injuries to her leg, chest and shoulder. The mother suffered swelling to her face and the father had a hand injury.

Ms Unsworth said Thornley, now living in Hunter Road, Kilmarnock, had no previous convictions, although she had been issued with a caution in June last year for offences involving assaulting an emergency worker and being drunk and disorderly.

Thornley’s defence barrister Amy Weir said that her client had since started a new life in Scotland living with her aunt and uncle and had found a job. She urged the judge not to impose an immediate prison sentence.

She said Thornley was remorseful for what had happened and admitted the offences were serious. She argued that her immaturity – she is still only 18 - and the fact she was drunk had combined to make her act like she did. “She is starting afresh in Scotland, she knows she has done wrong.”

Recorder Michelle Brown told Thornley: “You were clearly drunk and you started dancing with the dog. He barked, you sister tried to intervene and it all escalated. You kicked her in the back and when she rolled over you continued to kick her, starting in the head a number of times.

“When your mother tried to protect her you kicked her. She told you to calm down, you didn’t, and you threatened to kill her and at one point you picked up a kitchen knife and threatened you mother.

“You pushed her to the floor and tore a chunk out of her hair. Then you smashed up the kitchen. You went to your sister’s room and threatened to kill her. Your father woke up, heard the threats and came out. You caused him to fall backwards.”

The judge said that the fact that the family members had "understandably" decided not to give victim impact statements to the court didn’t mean the incident didn’t have an impact on them. She said Thornley had had a “chaotic and troubled” childhood.

She said the offences were “very serious” and would ordinarily result in an immediate prison sentence. But she had decided to step back from that by making Thornley the subject of a three-year community order.

She also ordered her to undergo a 12-month mental health treatment order, attend 20 rehabilitation activity days and do 80 hours of unpaid work. But she warned that if she breached any of the orders she would face a prison sentence.

She added her behaviour had been “vicious,” and she hoped she would take advantage of the orders “to make your future a better one”.