A woman charged with assaulting two police officers has been cleared of wrongdoing. Now she is urging police to have better training in handling people undergoing mental health difficulties as well as people of colour.
Rebekah Smith, 25, was charged with attacks on two woman officers when they called on her flat in Pleasant House, Staple Hill, after a report she had taken an overdose. Bristol Crown Court heard Miss Smith bit and spat at the officers - but she told a jury the officers were heavy-handed and she acted in self-defence.
A jury of seven women and five men took just over six hours to acquit her of three charges of assaulting an emergency worker - relating to the two officers.
READ MORE: Protest planned against Kill the Bill prison sentences
Miss Smith told Bristol Live: "I am absolutely elated. It was the result I was expecting, hoping for and praying for. I was not ever guilty. The two police officers used excessive force that day.
"I will be seeking recompense after what happened. And I would like there to be some retraining for police on how they handle mental health incidents as well as people of colour."
The prosecution claimed Miss Smith verbally abused PC Paula Stone and PC Louise Horton when they called on her to check if she was OK. Kenneth Bell, prosecuting, said as officers tried to gain entrance to her flat Miss Smith bit PC Stone on her right middle finger.
Mr Bell told the jury Miss Smith had not taken an overdose, was not drunk or on drugs and there was no evidence of mental health difficulties in the case. He said: "She was angry and aggressive from the get go towards the police."
John Stokes, defending, said his client was diagnosed with mental heath difficulties as a child and at the time of the incident was in a highly emotional state. Mr Stokes: "There is no criticism of the police's intentions, it is the exercising of their intentions that is open to criticism."
Mr Stokes said his client sustained a head injury when police tried to get in and sought to defend herself when she was in a traumatic mental state. He said paramedics assessed his client, found she was not under the influence of anything and her declining treatment was respected.
But, Mr Stokes said, after Smith spoke to paramedics police ran after her and in the course of that she did spit at PC Stone - but denied assaulting PC Horton. Mr Stokes said: "She felt her actions were necessary to defend herself." The court heard Smith's mum said her daughter has a "good heart". An elderly neighbour described Smith as a "caring young woman."
Sign up for our new Bristol's Court Insider newsletter for the latest court and crime news - from arrests to trials and sentencings
READ NEXT:
Lockleaze man jailed for historic abuse of teen
Dog bites police officers after owner found high on drugs
Nailsea man downloaded illicit photos for 20 years
