Trainee florist, 51, punched fellow student in row over Christmas wreath
A 51-year-old trainee florist has been fined after punching a fellow student in the face and throwing a protein drink at her during an argument at a floristry class in Merseyside. Lorraine Jae assaulted Tracey Musker at St Helens College following a heated exchange sparked by a tutor's criticism of her coursework, with the confrontation escalating from verbal abuse into physical violence in front of other students. The case highlights how a dispute over classwork can rapidly spiral into criminal assault, even between adults with no prior history of trouble.
The incident took place on 11 December last year during a session on making Christmas wreaths, after Jae swore at Musker and was told to stop being "childish". When Musker laughed off the abuse, Jae ran at her, punched her in the face and threw a full drink carton at her, cutting her chin, before fleeing the classroom; she was later suspended from the course. Jae, of Leigh, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to assault by beating at Liverpool magistrates' court and was ordered to pay £200 compensation plus a £300 fine, £205 in costs and a victim surcharge; the court heard she had no previous convictions and was said to be remorseful.
- Trainee florist, 51, punched classmate over coursework criticism row
- Threw protein drink carton, cutting victim's chin, at St Helens College
- Fined £300 and ordered to pay £200 compensation after guilty plea
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Trainee florist Lorraine Jae, 51, has admitted assaulting fellow student Tracey Musker during a floristry class at St Helens College in Merseyside, after a row that began when a tutor criticised Jae's coursework. Jae swore at Musker, was told to stop being "childish", and then punched her in the face and threw a drink at her in front of other students, before leaving the classroom.
The confrontation happened on 11 December during a lesson on making Christmas wreaths. Jae, from Leigh in Greater Manchester, had no previous convictions and was later suspended from the course. She pleaded guilty to assault by beating at Liverpool magistrates' court.
The case matters as an example of how a routine classroom disagreement can turn into a criminal matter, resulting in a fine, compensation and court costs for someone with no history of offending.