Grandmother who 'tried to snatch baby from buggy' in Lidl stopped by human barricade

Ross McGuinness
A grandmother has been found guilty of assault 'after she tried to grab a baby in a supermarket', a court heard. Carolyn Taylor, 43, stood trial at Teesside Magistrates' Court last week following an incident on December 4, last year at Lidl, in Stockton. During the hearing it was claimed the Teessider repeatedly tried to grab a baby boy from a buggy in the supermarket. However, Taylor denied the act and said she would 'never hurt a child'. Carolyn Taylor 43 from Stockton who appeared at Teesside Magistrates' Court accused of assault.
Carolyn Taylor was found guilty of assault at Teesside Magistrates' Court. (Reach) (Evening Gazette)

A grandmother who tried to snatch a baby in a supermarket was blocked by a human barricade of other shoppers, a court has heard.

Carolyn Taylor, 43, was found guilty of assault after she tried to grab the child in a Lidl in Stockton on 4 December last year.

Taylor, from Stockton, was convicted at Teesside Magistrates' Court.

The court heard that Taylor repeatedly tried to grab a baby boy from a buggy in the supermarket. She denied doing so, claiming she would "never hurt a child".

The child's mother was unable to attend court but a fellow shopper gave evidence.

He said: "I'd gone into Lidl and as I was walking down I saw a young lady pushing a buggy and behind her was the defendant following her.

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Teesside Magistrates' Court and Family Court Hearing Centre, Victoria Square, Middlesbrough 17th July 1989. (Photo by Teesside Archive/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)
Carolyn Taylor was found guilty of assault at Teesside Magistrates' Court. (Getty Images) (Mirrorpix via Getty Images)

"Straight away I could tell something was amiss. The mother was distressed, she seemed heartbroken.

"The defendant was fixating on the baby saying there was something wrong with him.

"She went to grab the hat from the baby. She was fixating on him. It was just madness, crazy."

The witness told the court he felt "threatened" by the defendant. He said she kept trying to grab the baby, which led to him and other shoppers forming a barricade around the mother and the pram.

Taylor was interviewed by police a day later, the court heard, and denied the offence.

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During the trial, she said she visited the supermarket to buy lunch and said to the mother, "Isn't he cute?", but claimed the woman took offence.

Taylor said: "I remember walking in the shop and I approached a lady who had a child in a pushchair.

"She pulled the pushchair back very abrupt and said what are you doing? I was a bit taken back and shocked. It's all exaggerated.

"I did not go to grab him, I said he didn't look very well and lifted his hat slightly."

Taylor was found guilty of assault and will be sentenced on 13 July.

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