"Vicious" Fareham woman sinks teeth into victim's leg and arm after stealing from children's cancer raffle

Lucy Hardwick, 48, sunk her teeth into the victim’s arm and leg after she tried to stop the thief making off with alcohol at the Strawberry Field Tavern in Locks Heath on December 12, 2021.

Hardwick, of Warsash Road in Fareham, admitted causing grievous bodily harm without intent on the woman in her 50s, and theft when she appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court.  The “shocking” incident left the woman with a permanent scar on her arm after undergoing plastic surgery, while she was also forced to undergo HIV tests and take antibiotics after animalistic Hardwick gnawed her flesh during the wild attack.  

The court heard how the desperate mum stole a bottle of wine from a raffle at the pub to raise funds for children’s cancer charity Abby’s Heroes around midnight when she thought no one was looking. But one of the organisers caught the defendant red-handed before following her outside as she attempted to retrieve the bottle.

The woman told Hardwick: “I can’t believe you’ve done that. This was a children’s charity event.”

But Hardwick remained unrepentant before events spiralled out of control. “There was a tussle and the outcome was the victim would end up on the floor and Ms Hardwick bit her on the leg and twice on the arm before the landlord came out and stopped it,” prosecutor Aleks Lloyd said.

In her statement, the victim described the attack as “vicious” and “shocking”, adding: “I can’t believe what happened. (Hardwick) showed no remorse or empathy for Abby’s Heroes.”

The complainant said she was taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital and treated for bleeding and had plastic surgery on her arm where she now has a “permanent scar for life” that was a “constant reminder” of the attack. She also had to pay for an HIV test and antibiotics.

The victim said of her ordeal: “It was extremely worrying and I was worried about seeing Lucy as she lives local to me. I’m still in shock at the unwarranted attack and have never experienced anything like that in my life.”

Hardwick revealed her “shame” and “embarrassment” following the attack, with her writing two letters to the victim after being “hugely remorseful”. Hardwick said: “I’m truly sorry for the injury and the unforgivable theft of a wine bottle. I’m ashamed of myself. I’m embarrassed I could do such a thing. I feel extremely guilty.”

However, Hardwick’s offending continued in a separate matter the following year on July 10, 2022, when she went round to someone’s house to retrieve an apparent £30 debt. The defendant stormed into the house and said she would take an X Box as payment for the debt before she was ushered out. But Hardwick then grabbed the woman and punched her before lashing out at her husband as he came to intervene. After leaving the property Hardwick picked up a brick and launched it through the window.

The court was told how Hardwick had been out of trouble since then and had a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation” according to her defence lawyer - which judge Michael Bowes KC agreed with and decided to give her a “chance”. Hardwick had been in an abusive relationship and suffered with depression and anxiety and addiction issues.

Hardwick, who also admitted criminal damage and a public order offence, was given a two-year community order with 25 rehabilitation days, a 120-day alcohol abstinence program and 100 hours of unpaid work. 

The judge said of the pub biting incident: “It was a really bad attack. A lot of time has passed and the court wants to look at whether you are improving or just carrying on causing trouble. You have shown since the attack you are improving and want to sort out your life.”