Alford nurse fined after ‘thrashing around’ and assaulting police officer

Chloe Newton, 25, of Commercial Road, Alford, admitted assaulting the officer when she appeared before District Judge Peter Veits sitting at Boston Magistrates’ Court earlier today (Wednesday).

Prosecuting, Marie Stace said police officers went to the report of a disturbance - allegedly involving a sword - in Ulceby at 1.45am on June 1 where they saw two men and a woman, Newton, in the road.

She said PC Blakey, a female officer, spoke to Newton while her male colleagues spoke to the men to find out what had happened.

She said Newton, who smelt of alcohol, tried to walk away and PC Blakey took hold of her, but Newton was aggressive and was shouting and she grabbed the officer’s shirt and twisted it causing her pain.

She said one of the men tried to calm her down, but Newton went to the ground and was ‘thrashing around and kicking’ until eventually she had to be arrested.

In mitigation, Tony Davis said Newton was a hospital nursing sister and had been subject to much stress as a result of the Covid pandemic.

He said she had become subject to facial palsy and had started drinking because of the stress.

He said the discomfort to the police officer was minimal and Newton had written her a letter of apology.

The judge said he had ‘every sympathy with NHS staff’ and he would always protect NHS staff who were assaulted, but said: “I don’t expect NHS staff to assault police officers who are also just doing their duties.”

Newton was fined £600 and ordered to pay £100 in compensation to the officer and a total of £145 in court costs and charges.