Pregnant barmaid beaten up by drunk mother at wedding

A pregnant barmaid who was beaten up by a drunk mother at a wedding reception despite begging her to stop because she was expecting has given birth to a healthy baby boy.

Rachael Bonney, 26, was seven weeks pregnant when she was attacked by Sarah Etchells, 34, who became infuriated after she was told to keep the noise down as the party came to an end at the Railway Club in Bolton, Greater Manchester.

Etchells, who also attacked an elderly couple working at the pub, attempted to punch Miss Bonney in the stomach as she protected her unborn child.

The incident started at around midnight as celebrations began to wind down and the club’s 76-year-old secretary Harold Foulkes began popping balloons during the clean-up, waking up Etchell’s daughter.

She began ranting at the pensioner before moving outside with the rest of the party where they continued to be noisy.

Mr Foulke’s wife Eileen, 75, politely asked Etchells to keep the noise down as the club, which has a sign asking customers to be quiet, has houses nearby.

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But Etchells responded by punching the elderly woman in the face whilst her husband Nicholas Etchells, 52, attacked Mr Foulkes – punching him in the head and face, causing his nose to bleed.

Fearing their attackers, the Foulkes got in their car with Miss Bonney and two other members of staff who were already in the back, but the punches continued through the open window while Mrs Etchells jumped in the car and began attacking the pregnant woman.

Miss Bonney said: ‘The guests started shouting verbal abuse at Harold, calling him a paedo. It was horrific.

• Sarah Etchells came over to the car and asked Eileen to get out. Eileen got out of the car because as a 75-year-old woman you don’t expect to get hit, but the next thing Etchells took her shoes off, ran around the back of the car and smacked Eileen in the face.
• I knew I was seven weeks pregnant, so all I could think about was protecting my baby. I thought "if I lose this baby I will never forgive myself." I knew I couldn’t get out of the car because it would put my baby in danger. I was petrified and felt helpless.’
• Sarah Etchells jumped in the car beside me and started punching me in the face and pulling my hair. I panicked and said: ‘Don’t be hitting me, I am pregnant.’ I thought it might stop her from attacking me but she replied: "You’re pregnant, are you? You’re pregnant?’ And then she started going for my stomach.

"I couldn’t do anything except try to protect my stomach. I had my arms and legs up trying to protect the baby but she didn’t stop, she just hit my arms and legs instead. She was like a woman possessed.

• When we got to hospital I realised I had scratches on my chest. Luckily the baby was fine and I had a normal pregnancy after the attack but I was an emotional wreck after what happened. The whole thing was just so traumatic. What happened to Harold and Eileen was terrible.’

Mr Foulkes was punched in the face knocking off his spectacles and hearing aid. He suffered bruising to both eyes, severe facial swelling and bruising, a cut top lip and a cracked tooth.

His wife suffered a large bruise to her left temple and other minor facial injuries during the incident in late August 2013.

At Bolton Crown Court, Etchells, from Farnworth, near Bolton, was ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work after admitting assault and criminal damage. Her painter and decorator husband and a third attacker Dale Hughes, 27, a fork lift truck driver, were each locked away for 18 months for assault.

Now almost a year after her ordeal, Miss Bonney, who is due to marry her long-term partner in 2015, has given birth to a son Carter weighing 8lb after an emergency caesarean section.

She said: ‘Carter is perfect in every way but if I hadn’t managed to protect myself God knows what might have happened to him the way that woman was behaving that night.

• I think Sarah Etchells should have gone to prison especially as there were others who were far more seriously injured than me.
• She started the whole thing and that night she was like a woman possessed. In my mind if I hadn’t managed to protect myself she would have landed some punches on my baby bump and the consequences of that could have been dreadful.

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