South Tyneside woman sentenced for assulting police officers after being ejected from Sheffield bar

A violent South Tyneside woman bit, kicked and scratched police officers after being booted out of a Sheffield bar, a court heard.

Verity Rapley, 23, attacked three PCs while being arrested for causing a disturbance in the South Yorkshire city during a night out.

Rapley, of Sheridan Road, Biddick Hall, lashed out after being ejected from the unnamed bar by security staff. They swung into action after she became aggressive towards them on Saturday, November 26.

Her poor behaviour continued when she appeared in the dock at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court to be sentenced. She was ordered to be taken back down to the cells after disrupting proceedings by continually talking as her hearing got underway.

In her absence, prosecutor Lillian Yanes Hellevik said: “She was removed from a bar after acting aggressively towards security guards.

“Police officers then attended. While attempting to take her into custody, she kicked one to the head.

“She bit another on the finger, causing the skin to break, and she scratched a third officer. The bite attack is the equivalent of a weapon.”

Rapley pleaded guilty to three charges of common assault of an emergency worker at a previous hearing.

Charlton Carr, defending, said Rapley had no previous convictions and suggested magistrates sentence her in line with the recommendations of a pre-sentence Probation Service report.

He added: “I can’t get any meaningful mitigation or instructions from her.

“She seems to flip from one side to the other, it’s like two different people. I do apologise as much as I can for her behaviour.

“Remarkably, she’s a lady of no previous convictions hitherto. While they are serious offences, I would suggest that the report is complied with.

“It may not be long before she is back before the court again.”

Magistrates went along with the report, sentencing Rapley to a 12-month community order, with 15 rehabilitation days. They said the order would explore issues of mental health and alcohol abuse.

Rapley was ordered to pay compensation of £100 to the officer she bit and £50 to each of the other PCs.

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