Jail for woman who assaulted two police officers

34-year-old failed to pay a taxi fare whilst intoxicated

A Douglas woman has been jailed after assaulting two police officers outside her home.

Jessica Marguerita Radcliffe, of Cushag Road, appeared before Magistrates at Douglas Courthouse.

Police were called to her address on 14 March as the 34-year-old failed to pay a taxi fare whilst intoxicated.

The court heard officers found her lying in the grass in her back garden, before they spoke to her inside, where she repeatedly made threats to harm herself.

Whilst being placed under arrest, she kicked one of the officers.

After being calmed down, she was being walked towards a police van when she again resisted the officers and had to be restrained on the ground.

She then kicked an officer repeatedly in the shin, causing bruising.

Radcliffe's advocate said her client 'had every intention to pay for her taxi' and that it was 'obvious she was struggling with her mental health at the time', saying she was in 'crisis'.

Sentencing Radcliffe to an eight-week custodial sentence for one assault and a four-week sentence for the other, to be served concurrently, Magistrates told her: "These were indeed deliberate assaults. You were actively resisting the officers."

They described her behaviour as 'appalling' and reiterated that police officers 'don't go to work to be assaulted by people like you'.

A previous six-month prison sentence which had been suspended was also activated by Magistrates.

They told her the court could 'no longer give [her] any more opportunities' as she had breached two previous suspended sentences and failed to attend her original sentencing court date; meaning she was arrested on a warrant.

She was immediately remanded in custody, where she will serve four months of the overall eight months imposed.