A WOMAN has been jailed for more than five months after spitting on a police officer.

Stephanie Anne Crowe was apprehended by officers in Northey Road, Bournemouth, after being called to a report of a disturbance on Thursday, April 2.

She was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage in relation to an incident in which it had been reported that damage had been caused to a car parked in Herberton Road.

While being dealt with by officers at the scene, Crowe spat on a police constable.

She was charged with assaulting an emergency worker and criminal damage, however, the latter was withdrawn when she appeared at Poole Magistrates' Court on April 4.

Crowe, of Northey Road, admitted the assault offence in court and was committed to prison for 18 weeks due to the nature and seriousness of the crime.

The 30-year-old also admitted five charges in relation to an incident in Boscombe last year.

Dorset Police was called at 4.44pm on Friday, December 13, 2019 to a report of criminal damage to bottles at Sainsbury’s in Christchurch Road.

It was alleged she may have stolen some bottles and threatened a security guard. Officers attended and carried out a search of the area.

Crowe was located located and arrested after pushing a police officer.

In court, she admitted charges of assaulting an emergency worker, criminal damage, theft from a shop, being drunk and disorderly in a public place and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke violence.

District judge Stephen Nicholls handed her a four-week prison sentence for the criminal damage, to run consecutive to the 18-week jail term.

She also received four-week sentences for theft, assaulting an emergency worker and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, to run concurrently with the 18-week sentence, as well as a £122 victim surcharge. Crowe received no separate penalty for the drunk and disorderly offence.

Chief Constable James Vaughan said: “Our officers and staff demonstrate their commitment, courage and dedication to serving our communities on a daily basis and this is particularly the case during the current situation we are facing as a nation.

“They have signed up to protect and help the public, not to coming into work each day with the risk of being assaulted.

“Spitting is always a despicable offence but it is particularly abhorrent during the public health emergency we are all facing.

“We will not tolerate assaults on our officers or our emergency services colleagues. Offenders will be dealt with robustly and this case demonstrates that we will bring criminal proceedings against those responsible.”