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A dad and daughter have been convicted of beating their neighbour to death after she punctured a football that landed in her garden.

William Gary Jelly, 48, and his daughter, Natalie Bollen, 28, were found guilty of manslaughter unanimously by jurors at Leicester Crown Court .

The court heard how the victim, Kelly Machin, 34, died from internal bleeding days after being assaulted at her home on August 23 last year.

Her body was discovered on the sofa of her house on the afternoon of September 5 by a friend who called round after not hearing from her for a few days.

Jelly, of Thorpe Astley, was not present in the dock when the guilty verdicts were announced on Wednesday, the Leicester Mercury reports.

(Image: SWNS)

(Image: Leicester Mercury)

He had been taken to hospital after collapsing in the dock earlier in the day.

Following the verdicts, Judge Nicholas Dean QC said: "This was an episode in which both defendants were angry and they behaved in an aggressive, bullying and a violent way, although not in a way that anyone expected it to lead to the death of Kelly Machin. The circumstances of this case are very unusual."

Jelly and Bollen - who were convicted after a 10-day trial - are now facing jail.

The court heard how "vulnerable" Miss Machin burst the football, which belonged to Bollen's children, after it was kicked over her fence.

She then threw it back before Bollen and Jelly went over to her house in Waldwick Close, Leicester Forest East, and assaulted her.

William Harbage QC, prosecuting, said: "This is a case which involves joint participation.

(Image: Leicestershire Police)

"Three punches were from the first defendant (Bollen) before there was a push from the second – it was joint violence."

He said the pair had gone round to Miss Machin's home to "bang her out", which was the threat Bollen had made to her.

Judge Dean remanded Bollen, a single mum-of-four, formerly of Waldwick Close, into custody to await sentencing in mid-June, pending the preparation of a psychiatric report.

Bollen's counsel said she was suffering from an emotionally unstable personality disorder, depression with psychotic features, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.

Judge Dean told Bollen: "You've been convicted of manslaughter.

"You know it's a serious offence and a long sentence of imprisonment is inevitable."

(Image: SWNS)

Jelly, who is also on remand in custody, has a number of medical ailments.

His counsel said it was hoped Jelly's latest relapse would "resolve quickly".

The judge told the jury: "Mr Jelly isn't here and that's because he was taken ill soon after you left court just after lunch and he's been taken to hospital."

Jelly and Bollen both denied manslaughter throughout the 10-day trial, claiming they were not responsible for the death of Miss Machin, who was said by the prosecution to be an alcoholic and "vulnerable".

The court heard there were earlier disputes between Miss Machin and Bollen, who were next-door-but-one-neighbours.

On August 23, the football belonging to Bollen's children landed in the garden of Miss Machin – who punctured it before throwing it back over the fence of their adjacent gardens.

(Image: Mat Fascione/geograph)

Bollen, who was infuriated by Miss Machin's actions, went with her father to confront her, bursting into her home when the door was opened.

Bollen punched her in the face several times, before Jelly pushed her - causing her to fall backwards over a coffee table, fracturing five ribs, which ruptured her chest cavity, the court was told.

The victim received hospital treatment and was later discharged, police said.

But her injuries ultimately led to her bleeding to death shortly before she was due to have an operation.

After the verdicts, Detective Chief Inspector David Swift-Rollinson of East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: "A seemingly minor incident resulted in a person losing their life.

"While we're pleased that the two offenders have been found guilty, Kelly's family and friends are still feeling the loss of their loved one and hopefully this result will help them move on with their lives.

"The defendants' actions on that day were excessive and they attacked Kelly without regard for the consequences, and they now face a lengthy prison sentence and two families have been left devastated."

Bollen and Jelly will both be sentenced in June.