Woman charged with assault after boy allegedly hit with canoe paddle

A woman has been charged months after an incident in which a boy was allegedly hit in the face with a canoe paddle.

Fay Johnson, 32, has been served with a postal requisition to attend Bristol Magistrates’ Court on December 15.

Avon and Somerset Police said Johnson, of Yate, south Gloucestershire, would face a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.

A 12-year-old boy suffered a head injury during the incident at Conham River Park in Bristol on March 26 this year.

In a statement, police said the Crown Prosecution Service had authorised the charge against Johnson.

A spokesman said the boy and his family, who raised concerns about the initial handling of the case, had been updated.

Mike Buck, neighbourhood chief inspector at the force, said: “We have listened to the concerns of the family and the community and identified and carried out further investigation.

“This is a now a matter for the court and it’s important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in anyway prejudice these proceedings.”

The charges came after officers revisited the initial investigation into the incident, the force confirmed.