Couple jailed over violent assault in Snodland
A Snodland couple have been jailed after they violently assaulted a 60-year-old woman and left her suffering injuries including a fractured breastbone. Greg Toole and Maria Toole of Amisse Drive, Snodland punched, kicked and stamped upon their victim following a dispute at an engagement party last year. 
The pair had attended a venue in Holborough Road, on 18 February 2017, when towards the end of the evening they became involved in an altercation with the victim, who was attempting to leave with a group of friends. After the victim had got into a taxi to go home Maria Toole rushed towards the vehicle and dragged her to the ground. She then punched her several times whilst also pulling her by her hair. The victim was still on the floor when Greg Toole also kicked her and stamped on her chest. A relative managed to get the woman back into the taxi and she was taken to hospital, where she was treated for fractures to her sternum, neck and spine. The Tooles were arrested two day later and subsequently both charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm. Appearing before Maidstone Crown Court they pleaded not guilty, but were convicted by a jury following a trial. On Wednesday 4 July 2018 Greg Toole, aged 33, and Maria Toole, 32, were each sentenced to three years imprisonment. Detective Constable Shelley Rainer said: ’This was a truly brutal attack, which was so savage and sustained that the victim was in genuine fear for her life. She was left suffering some appalling injuries, some of which will undoubtedly affect her for the rest of her life. There can never be any justification for this level of violence, especially over something which started out as a trivial disagreement and Maria and Greg Toole are now quite rightly facing the consequences of their actions.’
