Drunk Sunderland mum kicked special constable after road accident

Passenger Ashley Richardson, 30, became verbally aggressive when officers turned up at the scene of a smash in city centre Donnison Gardens.

Her behaviour on Monday, November 15, led to her arrest for being drunk and disorderly, magistrates in South Tyneside heard.

Richardson, of The Crescent, New Silksworth, then lashed out physically when being put into a police van, prosecutor Paul Anderson said.

He revealed she kicked the special constable on a hand, leading to a charge of assault.

Mr Anderson said: “Officers go to investigate a report of a road traffic accident in which a car has hit a lamppost.

“The defendant was in the car. She was a passenger and was spoken to about what had happened.

“However, she was abusive and was arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

“She was put into the back of a police vehicle and kicked out with her legs. She kicked an officer on the hand.

“There was no injury or pain described by the officer, but the offence is aggravated by being committed against a police officer.”

Richardson pleaded guilty to assault of a special constable by beating and being drunk and disorderly.

The court heard she has seven previous convictions, including a drunk and disorderly from over a decade ago.

Annalisa Moscardini, defending, said: “There was a collision. The drunk and disorderly is her shouting and throwing her arms around.

“She doesn’t recall the incident very well. She was put into the back of a police van and panicked, she kicked out.

“The officer describes her as having caught his hand.

“She has two children and works part-time. She doesn’t want to start coming back before the courts.

“She has asked me to convey that she wishes the incident hadn’t happened. She is apologetic.”

For the assault, magistrates ordered Richardson to pay the officer £50 compensation.

She was also fined £200, with £85 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge.

And for the drunk and disorderly charge, she was given a six-month conditional discharge.