Vicious Bethany Turner bit and spat at police officers after telling them she had Covid-19 at the height of the pandemic.
Police were called out to arrest Turner on November 15 2020 and found her drunk in bed. She used her body weight to try to resist being arrested and bit a PC on the index finger.
Having been taken to a police station, she began saying she had tested positive for covid. Andrew Findlay, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: "This was at the height of the pandemic and there was understandable concern and she was told to wear a face mask and she refused, claiming she had a medical condition that meant she couldn't wear one.
Read more: Newcastle Snapchat predator who targeted seven girls as young as 12 jailed
"Attempts were made to get her to wear one. Susan Mason, a police detention officer, tried to fit a mask on her and suddenly screamed out in pain as she was bitten on the thumb by the defendant. She describes intense pain.
"With the help of police officers she was forced to release the bite on the victim, who asked 'what have you done that for?'. " Mrs Mason was taken to hospital and needed five stitches to her thumb.
CCTV of the attack played in court capture her chilling screams as Turner sank her teeth into her. In a victim impact statement, she said: "This has caused me a lot of distress due to the possibility of infection. I attend work on the understanding I will come into contact with violent people but I don't expect to be bitten or assaulted.
"Following this I was off work for seven weeks and back and forth to the trauma clinic and having counselling. I was unable to drive for a prolonged period.
"I feel worthless because I can't carry out the duties I had previously. I feel this date will haunt me for the rest of my life due to the traumatic impact.
"It's caused me pain beyond belief. I regularly have flashbacks. She would not release my thumb from her mouth and I thought it was in her mouth when she let go because I had no feeling in it."
Later that same day, Turner was continuing to refuse to wear a mask and tried to remove her handcuffs. She then spat at a PC, the spittle landing on their stab vest and causing concern given her claims of having covid. Almost four hours later she spat at another officer and it landed on their leg. The victims described the attacks as "deplorable, cowardly and abhorrent".
Turner, 25, of Farndale Road, Benwell, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and three counts of assaulting an emergency worker and was jailed for 12 months.
Richard Bloomfield, defending, said: "She had quite a troubled upbringing but she has started employment as a hairdresser and is turning her life around."
Read next:
- Morpeth pervert with 'Jimmy Savile' email address had vile abuse images including torture and rape
- North Shields rapist who struck hours after victim suffered miscarriage jailed for ten years
- Disgusting Sunderland thug who spat in the faces of nurse and police officer jailed
- Scotswood dance teacher who assaulted boyfriend while on suspended sentence for GBH walks free
- South Shields woman left partner with deep knife wounds to hands in row over TV news story
