Chesterfield woman launched sustained attack and spat at police officer after drink-driving arrest

A Chesterfield woman assaulted a police officer in a sustained attack after he stopped her on suspicion of drink driving, a court heard.
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Natalie Dean was pulled over behind the wheel of her damaged car in Derby Road, Chesterfield, on June 27 this year, Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court was told on Wednesday, September 30.

She had earlier been involved in a minor accident, clipping a vehicle and fleeing the scene, the court heard.

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Prosecuting, Becky Allsop said that the driver of the other vehicle had described Dean travelling towards him on the wrong side of the road.

Natalie Dean appeared before Chesterfield Magistrates' Court.Natalie Dean appeared before Chesterfield Magistrates' Court.
Natalie Dean appeared before Chesterfield Magistrates' Court.

Following the incident, the driver had followed Dean, 32, of River View, Derby Road, Chesterfield, and described her car swerving from side to side and travelling over mini-roundabouts without slowing down.

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Describing the assault on the police officer, she said: “The officer spoke to Mrs Dean at around 10.30pm and asked her if she’d had an accident because the driver’s door was damaged. She said that she had and that she had been drinking and she was arrested at the roadside.”

Dean then pushed and punched the officer repeatedly, to the extent that he had to use CS spray in a bid to restrain her, Mrs Allsop said.

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“The dog was barking in the back of the car and she told it to attack the officer, but fortunately it didn’t,” she added. “He used up all of his spray trying to make her stop attacking him and eventually he punched her and took her to the ground. Another unit arrived to help and she then spat at the officer.”

When breathalysed, Dean blew 61mg of alcohol to 100ml of breath, when the legal limit is 35mg. She admitted drink driving and assaulting an emergency worker at an earlier hearing on August 14.

Mitigating, Dave Gittins said that Dean had been abused as a young woman, and as a result struggled with men when they tried to exert authority over her.

“She suffered abuse and that has had a profound impact on her mental health,” he said. “When there’s a male trying to exert any sort of control over her it causes flashbacks.”

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Prior to her arrest, Dean had been at a friend’s house, but there had been an argument and she had decided to drive home, he added.”

Dean was given a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity days.

She was disqualified from driving for 20 months, but was offered a drink-drive rehabilitation course, which would reduce the ban by five months if completed by November 9 next year.

She was also ordered to pay the officer £250 in compensation, as well as £85 in prosecution costs and a £115 victim surcharge.

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Sentencing, District Judge Andrew Davison acknowledged the impact of the abuse on Dean but told her: “Your behaviour was outrageous and the attack was completely unjustified. This was an attack on an emergency worker simply going about his job.”

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