South Yorkshire prisoner assaulted two officers in police custody suite

Sheffield Crown Court heard on May 16 how Casey Wright, aged 24, was arrested in connection with an alleged offence that was later discontinued but at the time she was held at Barnsley police station where she assaulted two police officers.

Prosecuting barrister Tim Savage said: “On December 18 the defendant was arrested in respect of allegations of aggravated burglary which was discontinued.

“On Sunday, December 19, while detained at Barnsley police station, she became agitated and threatened to harm herself and others.”

Mr Savage added Wright, of Litton Walk, Barnsley, asked for an inhaler and as efforts were made to assess her she grabbed an oximeter machine which measures breathing and threw it and she refused to be treated by the nurse and ran at the cell door.

After police forced her back she spat at an officer and began cutting herself with a wire from a mask before she punched and kicked a second officer, according to Mr Savage.

Mr Savage said: “This is a young woman in an emotional state herself who was harming herself and holding people at bay.

“She did not have a shod-foot when the kick took place. She was barefooted.”

Wright, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage and to two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

Sean Fritchley, defending, said Wright, who has mental health issues, was subsequently remanded in custody for 31 days and she underwent 57 days on a curfew.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told Wright: “You fall to be sentenced for three crimes. Two of which are particularly unpleasant, and let me make it perfectly plain at this stage but for the fact you have served effectively a sentence of imprisonment you would have been going to prison today for two months.

“Individuals like you who assault police officers in a police station when they are trying to help go straight to prison and you would have gone straight to prison for your criminality.”

Judge Richardson who also acknowledged Wright’s mental health issues sentenced her to two months of custody suspended for six months.