Girl gang assault victim Samantha McKenzie has flashbacks of beating and fears leaving home

Shocking footage shows two friends launching a volley of punches and kicks on their victim, while the third films it on her mobile phone.

Injured Samantha McKenzie is left bleeding on the ground as they speed off in their getaway car.

Today ringleader Louisa Ness is behind bars after being jailed for two years and six months for the terrifying premeditated attack.

But her accomplices Tara Green and Shelley Clifford walked free from Southampton Crown Court after a judge gave both young mothers a second chance.

Ness, 27, of Constable Close, Clifford, 27, of Wood Close and Green, 26, of Staplehurst Close, all admitted causing GBH without intent under joint enterprise.

The court heard how Ness and Green became embroiled in a row with Miss McKenzie over the victim’s ex-boyfriend, whom both Ness and Green knew.

Prosecutor Audrey Archer told the court how Green arranged to meet Miss McKenzie outside the Fleming Arms pub in Swaythling on the evening of December 29.

Green pulled up outside the Wide Lane pub in her car, with her three-year-old daughter in the back and both Ness and Clifford inside.

The court was shown CCTV of Ness striding towards an outdoor bench where Miss McKenzie was sitting, grabbing her hair, pulling her to the ground and setting upon her.

Clifford is seen kicking her at least three times before the trio drove away.

The court heard how McKenzie suffered a fractured cheek bone, a suspected broken nose, injuries to her knees and was deeply traumatised.

Footage of the assault filmed by Green was later uploaded on the internet although it was unknown who posted it, the court heard.

Ness has previous convictions for violence, including assaulting a police officer in 2004.

In mitigation, David Reid claimed she was struggling after her three children had been taken away from her.

He said: “She accepts completely what she has done and throws herself on the mercy of the court.”

Barristers for both Green and Clifford pleaded for leniency on grounds both have young children.

Lawyer Khalid Missouri said Clifford was prone to “losing her temper”due to suffering post traumatic stress and was not the main instigator.

Louise Howard, for Green, said her client had joined the others in a “moment of stupidity”.

But Recorder Donald Tait branded it a “vicious and unprovoked” attack.

Signalling Ness as the main perpetrator, he said: “Looking at the film you behaved like an animal, pulling the victim to the ground by her hair and subjecting her to a vicious and sustained assault by blows and kicks.

“That woman was vulnerable, it was at night. There was a sign of pre-meditation and you used a shod foot.”

But handing Clifford a two year prison sentence suspended for two years and 200 hours’ unpaid work and Green an 18 month sentence suspended for two years and 150 hours’ unpaid work, he said: “Think of your daughters before you get involved in anything like this again.”

Samantha McKenzie is still haunted by the vicious beating which left her with a fractured cheekbone and a suspected broken nose.

And while she is grateful ringleader Louisa Ness is behind bars she feels accomplices Tara Green and Shelley Clifford should also face jail for their part in the terrifying beating which she says “could have killed her”.

Shelley Clifford.

Reliving that terrible night Miss McKenzie, 29, told Daily Echo online: “They all should have all gone to jail.

"They are all as bad as each other and were just like animals.”

She said Green arranged to pick her up from the Fleming Arms when she was returning from a night out.

Tara Green.

Miss McKenzie said Green and Ness has been arguing with her during the day, claiming Ness accused her of “trying it on” with an ex boyfriend who Ness was then seeing.

Miss McKenzie said: “One minute I was sat there playing on my phone and I saw a car go past. The next thing someone was grabbing me by my hair.

“Louisa dragged me to the floor and started kicking and punching me and I could feel someone else kicking me.

“I was left sat on the floor bleeding.

“At first it didn’t sink in and the adrenaline was flowing but afterwards I was in severe pain.”

Louisa Ness.

Police arrived and she was briefly taken to Southampton General Hospital to treat her wounds which also included cuts and severe bruising to her knees, arms and back.

She added: “They told me I that if I had gone for my temples I could have been brain damaged. I could have been dead. Louisa should be made to do the whole sentence.

"It wasn’t as if she did it in a temper – she had planned it.

“Shelley also put the boot in and Tara should have got more because she filmed it.

“I don’t know how someone can watch that and film it.”

Miss McKenzie, who was speaking from her mother’s home in St Deny’s, has been forced to move to another house following the attack which has also triggered post traumatic stress and a series of seizures and panic attacks, which led to her leaving a brief job working in a bakery.

But she hopes to rebuild her life and added: “It’s really hit me hard. I have nightmares and I’m very jumpy.

"I don’t go out on my own and sometimes I can’t get up.

“I’m very anxious when the front door buzzer goes.”

Her mother Sonia, who was in court when the women were sentenced, said: “What they did was vile. You go through so many emotions when someone does that to your child.

“But I think the judge was fair as two have young daughters.

"I just hope no one does that to their daughters.”