Misty McGailey leaves Birmingham Crown Court. Credit: BPM
A PREGNANT woman who pulled a machete from her dressing gown during a row over late-night music has been spared jail.
Misty McGailey, 34, brandished the two-foot blade when she confronted neighbour Alisha Ellis in their block of flats after a long-running dispute.
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Misty McGailey leaving Birmingham Crown Court Credit: BPM
The mother-to-be brandished a machete in a heated dispute with a neighbour Credit: BPM
McGailey was handed a 44-week suspended sentence after admitting to threatening someone with a knife in a private place and affray.
The court heard how Ms Ellis returned from a night out and blasted loud music in the early hours of the morning.
McGailey banged on the walls between the flats, requesting the music be turned down.
This demand was ignored, and Ms Ellis went to sleep around 4am, Birmingham Live reports.
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The next morning, the defendant confronted her noisy neighbour, banging on her front door.
McGailey, who was pregnant at the time of the spat in May 2024, shouted “I’ve had enough” and “you don’t want to f*** with me”.
Enraged, she then produced a two-foot long machete from her dressing gown.
McGailey went on to shout: “You don’t know who I am you are lucky I don’t f***ing stab you.”
Eventually, the furious mother-to-be left after another neighbour encouraged her to let it go and return to her flat.
The defendant admitted the offences on a basis, which means she acknowledged committing the crime, but did not fully accept the prosecution’s version of events.
Prosecutor Tariq Shakoor explained the two neighbours had had a string of disputes in the months before the heated machete-wielding incident.
The court heard how McGailey had previously committed 55 offences, many of which were for theft.
Her defence barrister, Brad Rowles, argued most of her criminal history was related to historic drug misuse from which she has now recovered.
He told the court how, since the incident, McGailey has given birth to her son and is now a “different person”.
Rowles added: “She has told me this isn’t the sort of behaviour she wants to be doing and is not the way of dealing with a neighbour. She has subsequently moved out.”
Judge Samantha Crabb recognised the defendant’s first reasonable request had been ignored, but added it was clear there was no reason to go round there hours later.
Passing judgement, Crabb said: “I accept there had been some background to this offending and you had quite frankly reached the end of your tether.
“You were struggling with sleeping and your mental health.
“You had recently found out you were pregnant and had stopped taking your medication.
“I accept you produced the weapon to intimidate and had no intent to cause anyone physical harm.”
On Thursday, McGailey was handed a 44-week sentence, suspended for 18 months.
She was also ordered to 30 days of rehabilitation and slapped with a £300 fine.
