Leeds judge jails spitting coronavirus threat drunk woman for attacks on police

A drunk woman who spat at a police car and exhaled heavily in a police officer's face after telling her 'I've got coronavirus' has been  jailed.

Leeds Crown Court heard two police officers went to reports of a drunk woman causing a disturbance on Whitby Avenue, Huddersfield, in the early hours of March 26.

They saw 37-year-old Leanne Rawlinson being abusive and arrested her for breaching the peace and being drunk and disorderly.

Rawlinson told officers that she had coronavirus.

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She spat two or three times at the police car window while the officers were nearby.

A female police officer sat next to Rawlinson as she was driven to the police station.

The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl QC, said: "On the way there you repeated 'You do know I've got coronavirus.'

"You told her that you had a cough and a fever you then leant directly into (the officer's) face and intentionally, heavily exhaled directly into her face.

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"You were then put in restraints for the remainder of the journey.

"This was a deliberate attempt by you to intimidate and cause fear and anxiety in the emergency workers who attended the incident.

"In these times they rely upon people acting responsibly and they are entitled to expect that. You did anything but act responsibly."

Rawlinson, of Cowcliffe Hill Road, Cowcliffe, Huddersfield, admitted assaulting an emergency worker.

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The court heard she has seven previous convictions for assaulting police officers.

On September 9 2019, Rawlinson spat in a female police officer's face at Huddersfield Police Station.

She was previously sentenced to a community order for that offence.

In mitigation, the court heard Rawlinson, who has been diagnosed with an unstable personality disorder and psychosis, is remorseful.

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Judge Kearl revoked the community order and resentenced Rawlinson for the September 2019 offence

He jailed Rawlison for a total of nine months - three months for the 2019 offence and six months consecutive for the March 26 offence.

Judge Kearl told Rawlinson: "Let me make this clear: an assault on an emergency worker is an assault on those charged with protecting us all.

"They protect society and deliver services on our behalf. Therefore, an attack on them is an attack on us and on the state, and it should be punished more severely than an attack simply on an individual victim."