Glasgow women admit assault at Fifty Shades of Grey screening

A couple were attacked after a group of women were asked to stop making vulgar comments during a Valentine’s day screening of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Jacqueline Coia and her husband Martin were near a group of loud women including Isabel Munro, 52, Phyllis Ross, 52 and Carolanne Munro, 32.

The group made “sexually explicit” remarks during the screening at the Grosvenor Cinema in Ashton Lane and Mrs Coia asked them to stop.

At the end of the film when the couple tried to make their way past the group, Isabel Munro threw her wine over Mrs Coia before hitting her when she was on the ground.

Ross and Munro assaulted Mr Coia, who was behind his wife, and had landed on the floor almost on top of her.

Munro then assaulted Nicola Doris, in Ashton Lane as she was being lead away by police, because the woman laughed at her.

At Glasgow Sheriff Court Isabel Munro, from Blairdardie admitted assaulting Mr and Mrs Coia on February 14, 2015 to their injury, and assaulting Nicola Doris.

Phyllis Ross, from Partick, admitted assaulting Mr Coia to his injury.

Carolanne Munro, also from Blairdardie admitted shouting, swearing and behaving in an aggressive manner in the back of a police car on the way to London Road police office.

Her not-guilty pleas to the assault charges relating to the Coias were accepted.

The court heard that the women were part of a group of six females who had been socialising in the afternoon before the film at 5.40pm.

Mr and Mrs Coia were sitting beside the women in the cinema, and had to walk by them to leave.

Procurator fiscal depute Stephen Ferguson said: “During the film persons within the group of six appeared to be making certain remarks and making certain noises which were causing a distraction to the female who was sitting at the end of the row.

“Some of the remarks were sexually explicit and the female asked that the group refrain from their behaviour because it was spoiling the film for her and other people.”

The court heard the request appeared to have been “taken on board” and they continued to watch the film.

When it ended the group of women stayed in their seats to continue drinking their bottles of wine and Mr and Mrs Coia decided to leave.

Mrs Coia passed Carolanne Munro first, who had her legs outstretched in front of her making it difficult to get by and she commented to Mrs Coia about her complaining during the film.

Mr Ferguson added: “Whilst passing by Phyllis Ross there appears to have been some exchange and it became clear that the female was now in some difficulty.”

Mrs Coia "found herself on the ground" towards the aisle, where Isabel Munro was sitting.

The court was told: “Isabel Munro, who was drinking from a glass of wine, threw the contents of the glass of wine on to Mrs Coia, struck her on the head, taken hold of her by the hair and pulled her towards the ground.

“Once Mrs Coia was on the ground, the accused continued to strike her on the head and body.

“As a result of that happening, Mrs Coia received a bloodied nose and she became aware that some hair appeared to have been removed from her scalp and she had bruising on her nose and torso.”

Behind her was Mr Coia, who could see his wife was in difficulty.

He was scratched on the head, which is understood to have been by Munro and he was pulled to the ground “almost on top” of his wife.

Both Munro and Ross continued to repeatedly hit him at the same time as his wife was being assaulted.

Mr Ferguson said: “He indicated that whilst on the ground he could hear glass smashing, that appears to have been glass bottles which have fallen on to the ground.”

He suffered a bloodied nose and had scratch marks on his face and bruising on his legs and torso.

Passing police officers were summoned and the three women were detained or arrested.

As Isabel Munro was being lead out of the cinema she grabbed Nicola Doris, by the hair and pulled her head down. She claims Ms Doris was laughing at her.

Carolanne Munro began to act aggressively towards police as they put her in a police car and was warned she was going to be arrested and while in the car continued to shout and swear at officers.

Sheriff Walter Mercer deferred sentence until next month for reports and ordained the women to appear.

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