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SNAPCHAT SHOCK
Kids stunned after they saw footage on Snapchat of their mum being attacked in the street by dad’s new girlfriend
Tammy Dunning, 38, was bitten seven times by Michelle McDermott while her ex-boyfriend Scott Samples watched
THREE children were left horrified when they saw footage on Snapchat of their mum being attacked in the street by their dad's new girlfriend.
The shocking videos showed Tammy Dunning, 38, being bitten and beaten by 26-year-old Michelle McDermott while Tammy's ex Scott Samples stopped passers-by from coming to her aid.
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Tammy's three daughters, aged 12, 18 and 20, found out what had happened to their mum after videos started circulating on the image-sharing app and rushed to be by her side in hospital.
The mum-of-three, who has been left with facial scars after the attack in May, said her girls have been "rocked" after seeing the footage, in which she was bitten seven times.
Speaking from her home in Halifax, West Yorks, Tammy said: “I was devastated they’d seen it, I can’t imagine what went through their heads.
"I wanted to shield them from the finer details of the attack but it was passed around social media before I’d even been treated at hospital.
“It’s insensitive and disgusting. How dare they turn my ordeal into something to share on social media? Whoever did that had no respect to me or my family.
“My daughters were rocked by the footage, all they saw was their mum getting beaten up. They had no idea what injuries they’d find when they arrived in hospital.”
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Tammy, who split with Samples - the father of her 12-year-old - in December 2015, had been drinking in a bar with a pal when the incident unfolded at around 7pm on May 29.
She had left the pub and came out on to the street where she ran into Samples and McDermott having an argument.
She said: “Michelle was screaming at Scott. I wanted to stay well clear but when Michelle clocked me she started hurling abuse.
“She shouted that I was an awful mother and called me every name under the sun.
“I couldn’t believe it, it was completely unprovoked. As I was standing there in shock, she lunged for me and started biting my fingers and hand.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes, I barely felt the pain because I was so surprised.”
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Tammy’s pal intervened and wrestled McDermott into a nearby cab, where she was joined by mechanical engineer Samples.
But Tammy tells how, minutes later, as she began walking home, McDermott climbed out the taxi and ran at her again.
She recalled: “Michelle came out of nowhere and tackled me to the ground on the street, beating me with her fists as I went down.
“She grabbed my face and sunk her teeth into my right cheek.
“It was horrific, she was like a wild animal. I was terrified to move in case she ripped my cheek off."
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Video footage of the attack show McDermott writhing on top of the mum as bystanders gather round.
While the clips show a few onlookers attempt to help Tammy – only to be pushed away by Samples – several watched without intervening.
Tammy added: “I was horrified that no one was helping me.
“They must have thought it was just a drunken brawl in the street, they couldn’t have seen that her teeth were ripping at my face.
“The attack felt endless, though it could only have gone on for five minutes or so. I was terrified she was trying to leave me permanently disfigured.”
Eventually, a passer-by managed to prise McDermott off Tammy, only for her to kick the grandmother-of-two in the head as she was dragged off.
Police arrived to arrest McDermott and escorted Tammy to Calderdale Royal Hospital.
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The mum’s facial wounds and bites on her fingers were treated and she was discharged that night.
But the injury on her face took weeks to heal and she was left with scarring which she now covers with make-up.
Tammy says before the attack she had made an effort to be civil with her ex's new girlfriend for the sake of her 12-year-old daughter.
She said: “I had wanted to be civil with Michelle for my daughter’s sake but this attack was the complete opposite – it was savage and frenzied."
Tammy and Samples were together 14 years and had a daughter together before they split in December 2015.
Within weeks, Tammy says he started dating family friend Michelle McDermott.
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Tammy, pictured after the attack, was devastated when she learned her daughter had seen the footage
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She recalled: “I’d known her for around 13 years through living in the same area, we’d been to local charity events together and always had a laugh.
“When I saw that Scott had taken up with her I was hurt. It felt like a betrayal and at first I was heartbroken.
“But over the next few months I realised that Michelle was going to play a big part in my daughter’s life, so I decided to reach out to her.
“In March I sent her a message through Facebook calling a truce on any bad feelings. I asked that we wouldn’t bad-mouth each other and promised to be civil for my daughter’s sake.
“She sent me back a thumbs-up emoji which I took to mean she agreed.”
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On October 28, McDermott pleaded guilty to assault at Bradford Magistrates Court and was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months and must wear a tag with a curfew of 8pm for 16 weeks and pay £200 compensation, court costs of £85 and a surcharge of £115.
Tammy, who’s single, added: “The sentence is an insult. I have been left physically and emotionally scarred by the attack and now I have to live with her round the corner knowing she is essentially my daughter’s stepmother.”
Tammy said: “I’ve not seen either Scott or Michelle since that night and I didn’t go and face them in court.
“But my daughter sees them every couple of weeks to maintain a relationship with her dad, though she’s not allowed to stay over.
“It makes me sick Michelle’s there too.
“I’ve had nightmares about what happened and am paranoid about bumping into them in my area.
“But I’m a strong woman and I won’t let Michelle turn me into a victim.”
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