Lloyds bank customers 'gasped' when queuing woman, 26, pushed over Alzheimer's sufferer, 82, 'during a catastrophic loss of temper' and left the frail pensioner with fractures which killed her, court told

• A ‘red-mist’ is said to have descended on Lloyd’s customer Courtney Richman  

Lloyds bank customers ‘gasped’ when a woman who had a ‘catastrophic loss of temper’ pushed over a frail Alzheimer’s sufferer, leaving her with deadly fractures, a court heard today.

A ‘red mist’ is said to have descended on 26-year-old Courtney Richman who is accused of the manslaughter of Myra Countinho-Lopez.

The 82-year-old, who was a regular customer at the Lloyds Bank in Howardsgate, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, died in hospital 10 days after she was allegedly pushed to the floor of the branch on December 16 2021.

Richman allegedly grew angry and agitated after the pensioner, who was well known to staff, had a long argument with a cashier after becoming confused about when she had withdrawn money.

The woman is said to have made aggressive comments such as ‘hurry up – people don’t have all day’.

Courtney Richman is accused of the manslaughter of Myra Countinho-Lopez (pictured) after allegedly pushing her down in a Lloyds bank

The 82-year-old  was a regular customer at the Lloyds Bank in Howardsgate, Hertfordshire (pictured) and was known to staff

When Mrs Coutinho-Lopez was eventually helped by another customer and Richman is said to have sarcastically applauded and alleged to have said ‘oh thank God’.

When Mrs Coutinho-Lopez passed her she told her: ‘Don’t speak to me like that – you are very rude.’

CCTV footage shown to the jury this afternoon showed the pensioner swinging her handbag and striking Richmond who then pushed her on December 6 2021.

Giving evidence cashier Susan Hanover said there was ‘gasps’ from the other customers when Mrs Coutinho-Lopez ended up on the floor.

She was ‘very familiar’ with the elderly woman who came to the bank regularly, but often forgot she had made withdrawals.

Recalling what happened that day, she said: ‘We had a chit chat. She was being normal, quite friendly and chatty. She wanted a statement of her account. ‘

Ms Hanover said she printed off a bank statement but Mrs Lopez became agitated when she was told there was not a balance available for her to withdraw any cash.

‘When I told her there was not enough she became a bit agitated. She said where has my money gone? I said: ‘You withdrawn the cash’. She said she hadn’t.

‘She said: ‘The bank has stolen my money. I want to speak to the manager.’ I said ‘You withdrew the money last week. I showed her on the statement.’

The incident allegedly occurred after the pensioner became confused and a queue formed behind her

She said her colleague Delphine Gibbs told her: ‘I remember you coming in Mrs Lopez.’

‘Mrs Lopez became a bit agitated. I said ‘There is not really anything else I can do.’ Sharon, the manager, was engaged on the phone. The people in the queue were getting agitated. The conversation went on for quite a while – 10 to 20 minutes.’

The cashier said she heard a woman in queue, said to be Courtney Richman, shouted: ‘Look there is nothing she can do – just move away from the counter’.

She said another woman, who had been using the ATM machine, came across to help. ‘The lady was very polite and helpful – she just wanted to calm Mrs Lopez down.’

As they walked away she said she heard ‘muttering’ in the queue. She served the next customer and then heard a commotion and saw Mrs Lopez on the floor.

‘I looked up there were gasps from all the customers. I finished the transaction and I rushed across. She was on the floor, I heard her in pain.

‘I looked up there were gasps from all the customers. I finished the transaction and I rushed across. She was on the floor, I heard her in pain.

Under cross-examination by defence barrister Claire Davies KC, the cashier Ms Hanover agreed that at time Mrs Coutinho-Lopez could be described as ‘rude’ and ‘verbally aggressive.’

The bank’s assistant manage Delphine Gibbs said while Mrs Coutinho-Lopez was at her colleague’s counter the queue was almost stretching to the door.

She said: ‘The defendant was in the queue and was shouting out: ‘You need to move’ – she was in the queue. She I could quite clearly hear her.’

Ms Gibbs said Courtney Richman told Mrs Coutinho-Lopez: ‘The bank hasn’t stolen your money. You need to move so we can be served.’

As the other customer was moving Mrs Coutinho-Lopez away she said she approached the defendant, told her to mind her own business and swung her arm back.

She said there was a loud intake of breath when the pensioner ended up on the floor.

‘Everyone was shocked because Mrs Lopez fell backwards onto the ground,’ she added.

Ms Gibbs said she went over to her and saw Ms Richmond walk towards the door saying: ‘This is bloody ridiculous’ and left.

Prosecutor Martin Mulgrew told the jury: ‘The defendant reacted in a wholly inappropriate and unreasonably violent manner. She angrily pushed Mrs Coutinho-Lopez forcefully to the floor of the bank. She struck the floor with some force.’

He went on: ‘The red mist descended on this defendant and she reacted in a wholly inappropriate fashion to this vulnerable old lady.’

The victim suffered fractures of her left upper arm and thigh bone and bruising to her left upper arm, wrist, the tops of her fingers, around her rib cage and flank.

As well as Alzheimer’s, she suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

‘If you push an 82 year old woman to the floor of bank there is going to be some risk.

‘The prosecution say she unlawful assaulted her and as a result of the fractures fatty substances were released in her body that caused damage to her lungs and brain, ‘ said Mr Mulgrew.

Richman left the bank, but the following day a police officer who was in the bank saw a woman wearing two hooded tops who matched her description. Richman told the officer the old lady had been ‘rude and abusive.’

She said victim had told her: ‘I bet your boyfriend has left you’ and then hit her with her handbag.

In a prepared statement at the police station she said Mrs Coutinho-Lopez was being rude and directed her anger towards her and hit her. She said: ‘I was shocked and instinctively pushed her away. I feared she was assault me. I used open palms.’

Courtney Richman of Queens Avenue, Welwyn Garden City denies manslaughter and an alternative, lesser charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

The trial continues.

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