A DRUG and alcohol fuelled woman has been jailed for 18 months for three hours of violence in which she attacked five police officers in breach of a suspended sentence order for almost identical offending.

Sarah Thornton, 40, of Briggate Terrace, Shipley, Bradford, punched, headbutted, kicked, bit and spat at officers after smashing a window at her flat at 10pm on March 13.

Prosecutor Daniel Ingham told Bradford Crown Court on Friday that she had pleaded guilty to five offences of assaulting a police officer as an emergency worker.

He said three police officers went to the flat after Thornton told them she had put a window through. There was broken glass on the landing and a broken window at the address.

Thornton was unresponsive in the bedroom and appeared to be under the influence of substances. She became hostile, slapping and kicking an officer and throwing a hairbrush.

She was shouting and screaming and had to be put in handcuffs and leg restraints.

Mr Ingham said she was taken to Airedale Hospital where she headbutted an officer and spat at and bit another.

A spit hood was put on and she was transferred to Bradford’s Trafalgar House Police Station. She had to be dragged to a cell and at 4am the next day she threatened to harm herself.

Thornton then spat at another officer after she was found seemingly trying to harm herself.

She said in interview that she had taken alcohol and cannabis and could not recall the events of the night.

Thornton had 13 previous convictions for 33 offences, including 18 offences against the person and 14 assaults on emergency workers.

She was in breach of an 18-week jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, for spitting, kicking and punching police officers.

Ben Whittingham said in mitigation that Thornton had been in custody for ten weeks.

She was suffering with mental health problems at the time and being in HMP New Hall on remand had been ‘a godsend.’ She never wanted to behave in this way. She had taken alcohol and cannabis and was now free from both.

Thornton was absolutely committed to not letting her mental health difficulties stand in the way of making the right choices in future. She wanted to work in retail and do voluntary work.

Recorder Tahir Khan QC said the offences were so serious that only an immediate prison sentence was justified.

Thornton had a bad record of offending that included assault occasioning actual bodily harm, battery, assaulting a police constable and assaulting emergency workers.

In April last year, she was given a suspended sentence of imprisonment for assaulting police officers. The five new offences were in breach of that.

He accepted that she had difficulties in her life that had contributed to her behaviour but she had been given opportunities to take advantage of help and had failed to do so.

“This was serious and prolonged violence against police officers who were doing their job; punching, headbutting, spitting, biting and kicking and making unpleasant threats,” Recorder Khan said.