A WOMAN is accused of attacking her terminally ill father’s partner who was upset that her clothing had been moved as his affairs were being “put in order”, prior to his death.

Susan Roche is alleged to have carried out the assault on Angela Marcantonio in the garage at her father’s home in Waldridge Village, near Chester-le-Street, on Saturday June 1, 2013.

Durham Crown Court heard the incident took place as the family of builder Bob Howey were preparing his house to be photographed prior to being put up for sale, as he was in the advance stages of pancreatic cancer.

Ms Marcantonio, who was in her late 60s, was said to have returned home from work at about 7pm and discovered some of her clothing and personal possessions had been moved from the loft into the garage.

Giving evidence on the opening day of Roche’s trial, she said she was unaware this was going to happen and told the court she was looking into a box in the garage when she was suddenly attacked from behind by the defendant.

“She got hold of me and punched me twice in the face.

“I was absolutely stunned because I have never witnessed violence on myself.

“I tried to walk away, but she kicked my foot from under me and I ended up on the floor, then she began to kick me all over.”

She said the assault ended when her partner’s granddaughter pulled the defendant away.

Ms Marcantonio told the court that Roche was shouting “greedy b*****d” at her as the attack was taking place.

She said days earlier she had requested a promissory, a legal pledge that she would be reimbursed £163,000 by Mr Howey for a loan she previously made to enable him to complete a building job on bungalows.

Asked about this Ms Marcantonio said because she believed she would not feature in a will that was drawn up shortly beforehand, she feared she would not be repaid the money she claimed to have been owed.

The court heard that she spent three to four days in hospital being treated for a punctured and collapsed lung suffered in the attack.

In cross-examination defence counsel Caroline Goodwin put to Ms Marcantonio that it was she who was shouting and swearing on discovering her clothing had been moved.

Ms Goodwin said a scuffle developed and both fell to the floor, after tripping over a chair leg.

In reply, Ms Marcantonio said she has never been involved in any violence and would not have fought with Roche, as she had a physical disadvantage.

Roche, 48, of Whitehill Hall Gardens, Chester-le-Street, denies inflicting grievous bodily harm.

The trial resumes on Thursday (May 28).