Sunderland woman left special constable in a 'river of blood' and attacked two PCs after turning violent

The special constable bled for up to 10 minutes after being punched by Rhianna Veitch, 23, in Southwick police station’s custody suite.

He had gone to aid a PC, who Veitch had grabbed by the neck on Friday, November 13, a court heard.

The assaults came after Veitch, of Padgate Road, Pennywell, was arrested for attacking a third police officer at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

She did so while being treated for a hand wound from a suspected burglary bid on the anniversary of her grandmother’s death.

Veitch has avoided being jailed for the attacks, which magistrates in South Tyneside described as “serious offences”.

But she must pay the officers compensation – and has been banned from leaving her home for 12 hours a day for the next six months.

Prosecutor Michael Rose said: “She is at Sunderland Royal Hospital, being treated for a severe cut to her hand, caused by glass.

“The police suggest the injuries are from an attempted burglary.

“At the hospital she’s started to swear in the presence of police, and is asked to be quiet, but won’t be.

“[The PC] approaches, and she grabs him. There is no significant injury.

“She is taken to a police station where she starts to behave badly and refuses to wear a face mask, and the officers decide to take her straight to the cells.”

Mr Rose added: “[Another PC] tries to take her to the cells, but the defendant takes her by the throat.

“The special constable tries to drag her away, she is on the floor. She punches the special constable on the nose.

“He bled profusely for five to ten minutes, he says there was a river of blood.”

Ian Cassidy, defending, said: “I have known Rhianna for a number of years, and she is here and sober and polite.

“That’s the way I see her, but what she accepts, and what is clear, is that when she drinks alcohol she behaves very differently.

“She lived with her grandmother who died suddenly of cancer. She says that it hit her very hard.

“On this occasion she went out, it was her grandmother’s anniversary. She got her hand badly cut, she’s broken a window somehow.

“At the hospital an officer has told her that they were going to look at a burglary. It was the trigger, she reacts badly.

“She is genuinely sorry, she is remorseful.”

Magistrates heard no charges came from the burglary investigation.

They handed Veitch, who has a string of previous convictions, a two-year community order, with a requirement of 25 days of rehabilitation work with the Probation Service.

Veitch, who pleaded guilty to three charges of assault by beating an emergency worker, must also abide by a six-month, 7pm to 7am curfew.

She must pay compensation of £150 to the special constable and £50 each to the other officers, and there was £85 court costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

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