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| Ugly tale of triumph over trials | Ugly tale of triumph over trials |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| By Andy McFarlane BBC News Ms Briscoe said her mother's taunts led her to undergo plastic surgeryA barrister has successfully defended claims made in a book that her mother subjected her to terrible abuse as a child. We examine her remarkable background. | By Andy McFarlane BBC News Ms Briscoe said her mother's taunts led her to undergo plastic surgeryA barrister has successfully defended claims made in a book that her mother subjected her to terrible abuse as a child. We examine her remarkable background. |
| Someone from dirt poverty, from absolutely nowhere, with no assistance whatever, having faced adversity at every turn... | Someone from dirt poverty, from absolutely nowhere, with no assistance whatever, having faced adversity at every turn... |
| Constance Briscoe's description of herself to a High Court jury was the same one that had captured the imaginations of those who read her first book, Ugly. | Constance Briscoe's description of herself to a High Court jury was the same one that had captured the imaginations of those who read her first book, Ugly. |
| In it, she described how her mother repeatedly abused her, variously beating her with a shoe, cane, or belt, pinching her breasts, smashing a model aeroplane into her face and cutting her arm. | In it, she described how her mother repeatedly abused her, variously beating her with a shoe, cane, or belt, pinching her breasts, smashing a model aeroplane into her face and cutting her arm. |
| She wrote how her habitual bed-wetting fuelled the anger of her mother, who gave her nicknames including Miss Pissabed, scarface and - as the book's title suggests - Ugly. | She wrote how her habitual bed-wetting fuelled the anger of her mother, who gave her nicknames including Miss Pissabed, scarface and - as the book's title suggests - Ugly. |
| This tale of a poor south London girl whose single-mindedness and dedication helped her become one of the first black women to be appointed a part-time judge turned Ms Briscoe into a bestselling "Misery Lit" author. | This tale of a poor south London girl whose single-mindedness and dedication helped her become one of the first black women to be appointed a part-time judge turned Ms Briscoe into a bestselling "Misery Lit" author. |
| But her triumph over adversity was called into question when her mother, a 74-year-old Jamaican, launched libel proceedings. My mother would call me ugly, call me a dirty little whore, call me potato head Constance Briscoe | But her triumph over adversity was called into question when her mother, a 74-year-old Jamaican, launched libel proceedings. My mother would call me ugly, call me a dirty little whore, call me potato head Constance Briscoe |
| London's High Court was shown a family riven by the claims. | London's High Court was shown a family riven by the claims. |
| Carmen Briscoe-Mitchell branded her successful daughter a "wicked thief and a liar", rejecting the claims of routine abuse and even accusing her daughter of forging letters to support her case. | Carmen Briscoe-Mitchell branded her successful daughter a "wicked thief and a liar", rejecting the claims of routine abuse and even accusing her daughter of forging letters to support her case. |
| She was backed by an elder daughter, Patsy, who told the court: "I actually couldn't believe what I was reading because it was totally untrue." | She was backed by an elder daughter, Patsy, who told the court: "I actually couldn't believe what I was reading because it was totally untrue." |
| But 51-year-old Ms Briscoe's assertion that the claims were "substantially true" was accepted by the jury. | But 51-year-old Ms Briscoe's assertion that the claims were "substantially true" was accepted by the jury. |
| Afterwards, she said: "I can quite understand why my family went into collective denial but whilst child abuse may be committed behind closed doors it should never be swept under the carpet." | Afterwards, she said: "I can quite understand why my family went into collective denial but whilst child abuse may be committed behind closed doors it should never be swept under the carpet." |
| Mrs Briscoe-Mitchell had arrived in the UK, aged 18, in 1951 and married George Briscoe, the father of seven of her 11 children. | Mrs Briscoe-Mitchell had arrived in the UK, aged 18, in 1951 and married George Briscoe, the father of seven of her 11 children. |
| In court, she described how George would "come and make a baby and go back to his girlfriend", making no contribution towards the care of his family. | In court, she described how George would "come and make a baby and go back to his girlfriend", making no contribution towards the care of his family. |
| Instead, Mrs Briscoe-Mitchell worked as a cleaner and dressmaker to support her children - "my pride and joy", as she described them. | Instead, Mrs Briscoe-Mitchell worked as a cleaner and dressmaker to support her children - "my pride and joy", as she described them. |
| Ms Briscoe, however, painted a very different picture of life at home between 1964 and 1975.Mrs Briscoe-Mitchell branded her daughter a "wicked thief and a liar" | Ms Briscoe, however, painted a very different picture of life at home between 1964 and 1975.Mrs Briscoe-Mitchell branded her daughter a "wicked thief and a liar" |
| "My mother would call me ugly, call me a dirty little whore, call me potato head... and Scarface," she said, explaining that she suffered from bad acne. | "My mother would call me ugly, call me a dirty little whore, call me potato head... and Scarface," she said, explaining that she suffered from bad acne. |
| The experience had eventually caused her to spend her university grant money on plastic surgery to her nose, lips and eyes, she said. | The experience had eventually caused her to spend her university grant money on plastic surgery to her nose, lips and eyes, she said. |
| Ms Briscoe also claimed she swallowed diluted bleach after her mother branded her "a germ". | Ms Briscoe also claimed she swallowed diluted bleach after her mother branded her "a germ". |
| The inspiration for her escape from misery came from an unlikely source - the TV drama Crown Court, which sparked her interest in the legal profession. | The inspiration for her escape from misery came from an unlikely source - the TV drama Crown Court, which sparked her interest in the legal profession. |
| Then, in her teens, she met the influential QC Michael Mansfield during a school trip to Knightsbridge Crown Court. She told him she wanted to be a barrister and asked if he would be her "pupil master". He told her to keep in touch. She did. | Then, in her teens, she met the influential QC Michael Mansfield during a school trip to Knightsbridge Crown Court. She told him she wanted to be a barrister and asked if he would be her "pupil master". He told her to keep in touch. She did. |
| Ignoring her school careers adviser, who told her to give up her dreams "for a job in Boots", she took A-Levels at Sacred Heart school in south London. | Ignoring her school careers adviser, who told her to give up her dreams "for a job in Boots", she took A-Levels at Sacred Heart school in south London. |
| While typical teenagers left it until the last minute before crawling out of their beds for breakfast, Ms Briscoe had already done two hours' work as a cleaner before arriving at school. | While typical teenagers left it until the last minute before crawling out of their beds for breakfast, Ms Briscoe had already done two hours' work as a cleaner before arriving at school. |
| In the background the abuse continued, although she gave an early hint of her legal aptitude by successfully pressing charges against her stepfather for assaulting her. | In the background the abuse continued, although she gave an early hint of her legal aptitude by successfully pressing charges against her stepfather for assaulting her. |
| Dogged determination | Dogged determination |
| She was offered a place at Newcastle University, only for her mother to tear up her grant forms and tell her: "Only clever people go to university". | She was offered a place at Newcastle University, only for her mother to tear up her grant forms and tell her: "Only clever people go to university". |
| Instead, Ms Briscoe deferred her place and worked for a year at King's and Guy's hospitals as an auxiliary so that she could qualify for an independent grant. | |
| Eventually graduating with a 2:2, she indeed joined Michael Mansfield's chambers. Her time there was not a happy one, as she recalls in her second book Beyond Ugly, but it did not stop her career from progressing. | Eventually graduating with a 2:2, she indeed joined Michael Mansfield's chambers. Her time there was not a happy one, as she recalls in her second book Beyond Ugly, but it did not stop her career from progressing. |
| Since becoming a recorder, Ms Briscoe has further enhanced her reputation by pursuing a man who racially abused her through central London and eventually securing his conviction. | Since becoming a recorder, Ms Briscoe has further enhanced her reputation by pursuing a man who racially abused her through central London and eventually securing his conviction. |
| This dogged determination came to the fore as she fought her mother's libel claims, which could have resulted in her being expelled from the bar. | This dogged determination came to the fore as she fought her mother's libel claims, which could have resulted in her being expelled from the bar. |
| The jury's ruling ensures that her reputation remains intact. | The jury's ruling ensures that her reputation remains intact. |