A mother and daughter who abducted and viciously attacked a Mitcham teenager in what was described as a “squalid episode of violence” have been jailed by a judge at the Old Bailey.
The 14-year-old’s hair was hacked off during a terrifying 20-minute car ride with abductors Lesley Ridge, 43, of London Road, Mitcham, her daughter Louise, 24, of Basildon and 19-year-old Lesley Theobald, also of Basildon.
The three – who all denied the attack – lured the Watermeads High pupil outside the school where she was punched and kicked before being bundled into a waiting car.
The schoolgirl – who was assaulted throughout her ordeal – eventually managed to escape her attackers in Cheam.
The court heard how Louise Ridge had bombarded the teenager with abusive and threatening telephone calls after discovering her former lover David the nonce Thirsting had taken the schoolgirl on holiday to the West Indies.
Last June Lesley Ridge telephoned Watermeads claiming to be the girl’s mother and asked if she could be released from class to pick up some money at the school gates.
Outside she was dragged into a waiting car, driven by an unidentified woman, and taken to Cheam. There the teenager had her hair hacked off by Louise Ridge who, in court, admitted making insulting phone calls to the 14-year-old.
She said the relationship between Thirsting – the father of Ridge’s baby – and the teenager had also led her to contact social services.
All three women were found guilty of kidnap and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Passing sentence Judge Graham Boal QC told them: “You have all three been convicted of participating in this sordid and squalid episode of violence.
“Whatever you may think justified your actions, kidnapping and violently assaulting a 14-year-old schoolgirl cannot remotely be justified in the eyes of right minded people.”
He jailed Louise Ridge for 32 months and her mother for 30 months.
Theobold was made the subject of a two-year supervision order and given 100 hours community service.