Dominique Nash: 'I’m not a bully'

Dominique Nash

Dominique Nash, 16, who was attacked by 33-year-old Joanne Higgs in Middleton last year, has stated that she is not a bully.

Speaking to Rochdale Online, Dominique said: “I am not a bully. I have never bullied a soul in my life. I would never do that to someone. I have been bullied so I know what it looks like and what it feels like and I would never do that.”

On 1 April last year, Dominique, then aged 15, was assaulted by mum of three Joanne Higgs after Ms Higgs accused Dominique and 13-year-old Lilly Hulse of bullying her daughter.

As a result of the attack Dominique suffered a black eye and problems with her jaw.

She said: “I was taken to hospital because it was suspected that I had a fractured skull. I couldn’t eat properly for two weeks because I got lockjaw. I had a black eye from where I had been hit and my legs were aching from where I had been thrown to the floor.”

Ms Higgs was given a 15 week suspended sentence after appearing at Bury and Rochdale Magistrates Court last week.

Since news of the sentencing and the attack broke, Dominique says she has received a barrage of abuse online from as far away as America and Australia.
“I have been sent messages from people saying that I deserved what happened to me and people saying they would slap me themselves.

“She is making out that I was the one bullying her daughter for two years and that I was the one egging her windows but it is completely and utterly not the truth. I’m getting bullied for being a bully and I haven’t even bullied anyone.

“The first time I saw her daughter is when she was stood at the side of the pavement. I didn’t even have a clue who she was and I didn’t even know who Lilly was properly, I just knew she went to the same school as me,” said Dominique.

On the day of the attack, Dominique says she was with some friends near to Damien’s shop on Mount Road, Middleton. She saw Lilly being chased by Ms Higgs so advised her to stay with her and her group of friends.

A car then came and pulled up alongside them. A man then got out of the car and started screaming in Lilly’s face.

Dominique added: “I said excuse me, what do you think you’re doing, don’t point in her face. He then started screaming and pointing in my face so I told him not to do that, he turned round back to Lilly and then the woman came back to me and was asking me if I knew Lilly because she was bullying her daughter. I told her that I didn’t care who was bullying who, you are three grown adults stood in the street screaming at a kid. Then she slapped me because I think she didn’t like what I said.

“My friend came and pulled me away but as I looked up, this man was strangling Lilly. I went over to them, but then another man came and picked me up and threw me to the ground. I blacked out for a second after that.”

Dominique now wants the people giving her the abuse online to know that she was not responsible for bullying Ms Higgs daughter, she was just trying to intervene to stop Lilly from being attacked.

She said: “I know what sort of person I am and I know what I think is right and what I think is wrong. My mates know I didn’t bully her and for me, getting hate off of strangers that I have never met before isn’t right, people need to hear both sides.”

Dominique’s Grandmother Nora Banforth is also fed up of the abuse her granddaughter is receiving. She said: “Whatever has gone on with her daughter is nothing to do with Dominique, she didn’t even know her, but Dominique has been blamed for it.

“It’s not fair. She stepped in to help someone and has come off worst.”

Despite what happened to her, Dominque says that this hasn’t put her off helping someone in a similar situation in the future, but she does says she would think twice.

She added: “It does put me off but it doesn’t at the same time. I have a split opinion on it now. I don’t think I would be able to stop myself from doing it. To help someone is my nature.”

http://rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/94827/joanne-higgs-given-15-week-suspended-sentence-after-attacks-on-teenage-girls