Sunderland woman kicked and abused police officers after taking cocktail of drink and drugs

Nicola Bradford, 45, repeatedly kicked a WPC and tried to headbutt her while being transported into custody on Monday, September 20.

At the station, Bradford, of Westheath Avenue, Grangetown, kicked two male officers, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard.

She was handed suspended prison terms for attacks which followed a call to police from a neighbour concerned for her wellbeing.

Prosecutor Sarah Malkinson said officers found Bradford intoxicated when they arrived at her home at 9pm.

She said police had to gain entry into her property, and they arrested her.

Ms Malkinson added that, in the police vehicle, she verbally abused a female officer and “moved her head towards her in an attempt to headbutt her”.

Ms Malkinson said “She was taken to the floor, but she made contact with the female officer’s leg multiple times.

“At the police station, she was verbally and physically abusive, and kicked out against the right shin of an officer.

“She also kicked an officer on his right thigh.”

Bradford pleaded guilty to three charges of assault of an emergency worker and one count of causing harassment, alarm or distress.

The court heard she has eight previous convictions, including two for attacks on police and one for actual bodily harm.

Suzanne Hanson, defending, said Bradford had been out of trouble with the courts since 2014.

She added: “The call to police came from a woman across the road who hadn’t seen her curtains move for three days.

“She had taken an overdose of her medication and downed it with a bottle of vodka.

“She is a lot more stable now and says it was a very difficult time. She offers her apologies.”

District Judge Zoe Passfield jailed Bradford for nine weeks for the attack on the WPC and to six weeks for each of the other attacks.

They are to run concurrently and were suspended for 18 months.

Bradford must pay compensation of £100 to the WPC and £50 each to the two male PCs, with £85 court costs.