Woman jailed for assault
A Bideford woman has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison for attacking a man on his doorstep.
Kelly Sorensen, aged 43 and from Newton Road in Bideford, was sentenced at Exeter Crown Court on Friday 4 August.
Sorensen pleaded guilty in July 2023 to actual bodily harm (ABH) and possession of an imitation firearm.
The court heard how in February 2023, officers were alerted to a report that a man had been shot in the head at an address on Pridham Place, Bideford. Armed officers were deployed and flocked to the scene, assisted by several other teams.
The victim was located close-by with head injuries and was conveyed to hospital. He was later discharged with minor injuries which had been caused by Sorensen hitting the victim in the head with the base of an imitation gun.
Officers carried out several arrests resulting in Kelly Sorensen being charged with ABH and possession of an imitation firearm.
Officer in the case Detective Constable Sarah Richards said: “This was a dynamic and fast-moving incident at the time, based on the information that a gun was involved, and that someone had been shot.
“It was later established this was an imitation and only fired blanks, however, our response at the time was as a result of the original report we had received. It must be assumed, until established otherwise, that all reports involving guns, particularly if there has been a discharge, must be treated as genuine. The assumption must be made that any such weapon is a viable firearm in order to protect the public.
“This case was resource intensive at the beginning and many staff were involved from all departments assisting in the obtaining of witness statements, CCTV footage, and other available evidence. This was collated and submitted to the CPS so that we could achieve a charge. It is this dedicated teamwork that has secured a guilty plea and I sincerely thank the co-operation of many members of the public who provided information to us.
“I hope that this sends a clear message that Devon and Cornwall Police remain committed to preventing and detecting crime and that we will not tolerate guns, imitation or otherwise, being used in this way.”
Image gallery:
select image to see larger version
