A woman assaulted a security guard during an outburst at the Washington Galleries when she was "mentally unwell".
Paula McCully was in possession of a kitchen knife and amphetamines when she assaulted the security supervisor on February 16 this year. The 52-year-old caused a scene at the shopping centre before telling other security staff she would "burn them on the cross and throw them in the sea".
On Monday, McCully, of Bamburgh Close, Oxclose, Washington, appeared at Newcastle's Moot Hall to be sentenced for assault, possession of a knife, possession of a class B drug, and a public order offence. She had pleaded guilty to the offences.
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Matthew Hopkins, prosecuting, said a female security guard was working at The Galleries when she was called to the entrance of a store and saw McCully "shouting and swearing at security staff". He said: "She told her to leave or the police would be called. The defendant said she would wait for the police and told her 'come out here one by one, you don't know what I've got on me I'm going to kill you'."
McCully then climbed over a security turnstile and said she would "cut their heads off and burn a security guard on the cross and throw them in the sea". McCully then grabbed the female security guard's lanyard around her neck and kicked her. She tried to hit her again and scratched her hand, the court heard.
Mr Hopkins said that McCully then told the security staff she had a knife in her bag and she could be seen trying to open it. The court heard the knife was not seen or produced and McCully, who had seven previous convictions for nine offences, was soon arrested. When searched, the kitchen knife and amphetamines were found in her possession.
Helen Towers, defending, said there had been progress in McCully addressing her mental health and substance abuse issues. She said she was suffering from "significant paranoid ideation at the time" but said there were now "significant factors in place", including stable accommodation and weekly visits from mental health support. Ms Towers added there was a "realistic prospect of rehabilitation".
Sentencing McCully, Recorder Mark Giuliani said a psychiatric report detailed that she had "psychotic symptoms" at the time of the offence and had fears for her safety. He added she was "clearly mentally unwell" and handed her an 18 month community order and ordered her to complete up to 25 rehabilitation activity days and pay £70 compensation.
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