Booze-fuelled South Yorkshire woman jailed for spitting at police officer during pandemic

Tracey Pearce, 47, of Brinsworth Lane, Rotherham, had been having a dispute with her partner at his home when police were called and she spat at a female officer, according to a Sheffield Magistrates’ Court hearing.

The court – which was sitting at the Sheffield Crown Court building – heard on April 27 how Pearce had been shouting and swearing and was arrested before she spat in the face of the officer as she was being taken to a police vehicle.

District Judge Grace Leong told Pearce: “In my view, it’s so serious only a custodial sentence – an immediate one – is justified.

“You spat on this police officer in the face towards her eye in the course of an arrest when you were drunk and being extremely aggressive and during times when there is a COVID-19 pandemic.”

Susan Fisher, prosecuting, said Pearce had initially become antagonistic with her partner and she refused to leave his home so he called police.

Ms Fisher added Pearce’s partner has been subject to an electronic curfew tag and as his partner tried to stop him calling police she damaged the tag box, wiring and connection.

Pearce was shouting and swearing at police when they arrived and she spat at the officer as she was being taken to a police vehicle, according to Ms Fisher.

The defendant pleaded guilty to damaging the tag box and to assaulting an emergency worker after the incident on April 23. She also admitted breaching a conditional discharge which had previously been imposed for assaulting another emergency worker.

Matthew Shepherd, defending, said: “There are cases where people with COVID-19 carry out this kind of act but there was never any suggestion that there was a direct threat of that nature.”

He added when Pearce has not been drinking she is a very nice person but this was a “Jekyll and Hyde” situation.

District Judge Leong, who described spitting in the face of a police officer as “extremely serious”, sentenced Pearce to three-months of custody.