Brick-carrying woman coughed at police as she was arrested

Charlene Merrifield, 39, was stopped by police while holding two bricks in her hand after they answered a report a woman had attempted to attack a man with a knife and had damaged cars in Hebburn.

Police also found a Ford Focus car had its windscreen wiper snapped off during the incident, which happened in Lyon Street on the evening of Wednesday, April 8.

Merrifield, who was not found to be in possession of a knife when she was stopped nearby, was arrested on suspicion of affray, and as she was being detained, she leant forward in the back of the police van and coughed in the direction of an officer.

Merrifield, of no fixed abode, admitted assault of an emergency worker, criminal damage and a public order offence when appearing before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, along with breach of a suspended sentence, and was jailed for 21 weeks.

Now officers have released footage of the incident and reiterated that such behaviour will be treated incredibly seriously amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Chief Inspector Nicola Wearing, of Northumbria Police, said: “Our officers come to work each day in order to keep people safe and protect the communities they serve.

“They do so knowing they could be faced with potentially dangerous situations.

“However, at a time when our communities across Northumbria are pulling together and showing the incredible spirit that this region is famed for, there remains a small minority who show a total disregard for both the law and the welfare of others.

“Charlene Merrifield knew exactly what she was doing as she decided to intentionally cough at one of our officers, which is absolutely appalling.

“I hope this case highlights how seriously offences of this nature are being taken in the light of the current pandemic.

“I would like to thank the public for their amazing support, as well as our officers, staff and volunteers who are all working together in these difficult and unprecedented times to protect the most vulnerable in our communities.”

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