'Intoxicated' Sunderland woman attacked paramedic and police officer

A drunk Sunderland woman threatened to kill a female paramedic in the back of an ambulance before attacking her colleague and a policeman.

Violent Ashleigh Todd, 53, also kicked her helper's shins then hoofed a male medic between the legs after he stopped the vehicle to assist, a court heard.

And Todd, of Appleby Square, Farringdon, booted a police officer’s leg when he rushed to the scene to handcuff her at teatime on Sunday, July 23.

She even tried to slip her restraints to launch further aggression and only stopped when finally overpowered, prosecutor Paul Coulson said.

Earlier that day, she assaulted her former boyfriend at his city home and caused £250 of damage by smashing his car’s wing mirrors.

Jobless Todd pleaded guilty to a string of assault charges and was jailed for 12 weeks, a sentence suspended for a year by magistrates in South Tyneside.

Mr Coulson said: "Paramedics responded to reports of an unconscious female whom it was necessary to take to hospital for a head injury.

"In the ambulance, she said to the female paramedic she was going to kill her and became increasingly violent towards her, waving her fists.

"She kicked her on the shins and struck out but fortunately she wasn’t wearing shoes.

"Her colleague stopped the ambulance and came to the back to find out what was happening.

"The defendant kicked him between the legs. They requested police assistance during which she continued to kick out.

"A policeman arrived and applied handcuffs which she attempted to slip. She kicked the officer to a leg.

"She was aggressive during the journey and the officer had to apply further restraints."

Of Todd’s attack on her former boyfriend, Mr Coulson added: "They had separated six weeks before.

"At 10.30am, she arrived at his home intoxicated and causing a commotion outside.

"He allowed her in, but she threw punches towards him. She continued punching him to the body.

"She left the flat and he checked CCTV. It showed her smashing the wing mirrors on arrival."

Todd, who has a single drink drive conviction from 2007, pleaded guilty to three counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker, an assault by beating and causing criminal damage.

Alastair Naismith, defending, told magistrates: "The Probation Service have given you a sensible recommendation for issues in her life and the mental health which contributed to her behaviour.

"If you do feel it crosses the custody threshold, the report shows the rehabilitation that can be done, and I think you can suspend the sentence."

Magistrates jailed Todd for 12 weeks for each emergency worker attack and to eight weeks for the assault on her partner, to run concurrently.

There was no separate penalty for criminal damage and Todd was also given a 12-month community order, with 10 rehabilitation days and a mental health requirement.

She must pay compensation of £250 for the wing mirrors, £100 each to the male paramedic and the policeman and £50 to the female paramedic, with a £154 victim surcharge.