Leanne, Louise and Samantha Whelan were all handed suspended sentences (Picture: Liverpool Echo)

Three sisters who admitted yelling homophobic abuse at a man were pictured laughing outside court as they escaped jail.

Louise, 29, Leanne, 32, and Samantha Whelan, 33, had screamed and shouted at Pete Taylor, calling him ‘queer’ and a ‘f****t’ on August 11 last year.

Pregnant Leanne had also swung a hammer in his direction during the feud, which first erupted after a dispute over a dog.

The three sisters, all single mothers, had previously fallen out with the paternal grandmother of Samantha’s children, Deborah McKenna.


They claimed that Ms McKenna and her son Thomas Carson had made reports to social services about the welfare of the children, although no action was taken.



The dispute also came to involve Mr Carson’s girlfriend Katie Cunningham and family friend Mr Taylor.

Paul Becker, prosecuting, said all of those on both sides of the row had been warned about their behaviour before the incident unfolded.

On August 11, the Whelan sisters had been driving to their mum’s when they saw Ms Cunningham outside of Mr Carson’s house on Alwen Street, Birkenhead.

They then jumped out the car and ran towards the house, with Leanne grabbing a hammer, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

They had screamed homophobic abuse at Pete Taylor as a result of a family dispute (Picture: Liverpool Echo)

Ms Cunningham ran into the house, but Mr Taylor, who had been in the back garden, came around the front to see what was happening.

Mr Taylor told the court the sisters had been calling for Ms Cunningham and Ms McKenna to come outside, adding: ‘Samantha Whelan was abusive and said “f*** off, we don’t want you.”‘

Leanne then swung at him with a hammer, missing his upper body, the court was told.

Prosecutor Mr Becker said: ‘Leanne Whelan was seen to be bouncing towards Mr Taylor, threatening and generally acting aggressively. Mr Taylor was shocked and scared.’

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He told the court that the sisters then walked away while ‘shouting homophobic comments’ at their victim and screaming at Ms Cunningham: ‘You’re getting this over your head.’

Mr Taylor stated that the interaction left him feeling depressed, anxious and ‘looking over his shoulder all the time’.

At first, the Whelan sisters said the victims were lying and claimed to have alibis, before finally admitting threatening behaviour ahead of a trial.

The court heard Leanne, of Treetops Drive, Bidston, has five previous convictions for 10 offences and also admitted possessing an offensive weapon.

Her criminal record includes assaulting a police officer, common assault and assault causing actual bodily harm.

The judge ruled that jailing the sisters would cause their children ‘significant harm’ (Picture: Getty Images)

Louise, of Wakefield Drive, Leasowe, has 12 previous convictions for 19 offences, including racially aggravated harassment against a supermarket security guard.

While Samantha, of Tollemache Road, Oxton, has three previous convictions for assaulting a police officer, battery and shoplifting.

Defending Leanne, Andrew McInnes said his client was a ‘good mother’ to her three children, aged seven months, three and 13.

He also said an allegation was made that Ms Cunningham assaulted one of the sisters the previous day.

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Anna Duke, defending Louise, said her client had two daughters, aged seven and nine, who suffered from ADHD and dyspraxia.



She said a medical report found Louise could be ‘very impulsive’ and lacked thinking skills, but she had signed up for counselling.

Bernice Campbell, defending Samantha, said she had a daughter, 14, and son, aged four, who was awaiting an assessment for autism.

She said: ‘Samantha Whelan has been a victim herself, calling the police after she got beat up in front of her four-year-old child.’

Judge Gary Woodhall said Mr Taylor was subjected to ‘homophobic abuse’ during the ordeal and urged all those involved to end their dispute.

He said there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation among the sisters, adding that jail would cause ‘significant harm’ to their children.

Leanne was handed nine months in jail, while Louise and Samantha were given nine weeks in jail, all suspended for 15 months.

The judge gave them each three-month home curfews, from 8pm to 6am daily, plus 20-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirements.

He also imposed five-year restraining orders to protect Mr Taylor and Ms McKenna.

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