A WOMAN has been jailed for 18 months for forcibly biting a PCSO in Bradford City Park after being caught drinking in public in breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order.

Bridget Mtola, 32, of Douglas Towers, Radwell Drive, Bradford, had 12 convictions for 38 offences, including a string of assaults on emergency workers.

Mtola, a native of Cape Town, South Africa, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and breaching the Criminal Behaviour Order by having a bottle of alcohol in City Park.

Prosecutor Ian Howard told Bradford Crown Court today that two PCSOs were on patrol in the city centre at about 10pm on May 31 when a member of the public complained to them about Mtola’s behaviour.

She had a bottle of alcohol and became defensive and aggressive, walking off dropping it.

When the female officer put a hand on her arm to stop her, Mtola bit it causing a wound that needed hospital treatment.

Mr Howard said the back of the officer’s hand was bleeding, bruised and swollen.

After Mtola was arrested, she spat on the floor in the holding cell at the police station and when told to stop, she urinated, the court was told.

The injured PCSO was treated at Bradford Royal Infirmary and given a tetanus injection and antibiotics. She described the bite as excruciatingly painful.

In her victim impact statement, she said that the painful and unsightly injury had interrupted her enjoyment of a holiday with her mother. Nicola Hoskins said in mitigation that Mtola had been in custody since June 2. She conceded that it was a nasty bite but said her client was tackling her issues while on remand in HMP New Hall. She wanted to write a letter of apology to the officer.

Recorder Tony Watkin said the PCSO had helped Mtola in the past and that was a particularly sad aspect of the attack.

The injury meant she had to go to hospital and it spoilt her enjoyment of her holiday. Her hand was left throbbing from the forceful bite.

Mtola made no comment when questioned and refused to watch the bodyworn footage of the incident.

She had convictions for violence and for assaults on emergency workers in 2020 and 2021.

Recorder Watkin said she was actively mentoring others in prison and taking educational courses.

But he didn’t think there wasn’t a realistic prospect of rehabilitation at the moment.

The case comes at a time of continuing concern over crime and anti-social behaviour in Bradford city centre, especially around City Park.

Issues such as street drinking, substance misuse, public urination and abusive language are among the issues that have blighted the bottom of Ivegate and Centenary Square.

On September 25, a large-scale disturbance in the city centre in Bradford city centre made national headlines.

A total of nine teenagers who were arrested after the disorder have now been bailed while police carry out more investigations into the incident.

Officers attended Market Street shortly before 4.30pm after they received reports of a group of males in balaclavas "acting suspiciously".

A short time later, it was reported that a knife had been seen - with fighting taking place at the back of the city's magistrates' court building.

West Yorkshire Police said armed officers were sent to the scene.

Alleged offences recorded during the disturbance included violent disorder, assaulting an emergency worker and criminal damage.  

On July 16, another disturbance saw emergency services descend on Bradford city centre in large numbers.

A big cordon was put in place in City Park, stretching across the front of Bradford Magistrates' Court towards the corner of City Hall. 

There was also a cordon in place on Market Street, with at least five police cars and numerous paramedics on the scene.

A male had been seen bleeding heavily at around 4.30pm, with shoppers looking on at the scenes unfolding. Blood could also be seen on the paving at the point where Market Street meets Hustlergate.

A boy was taken to hospital with serious but non life-threatening injuries. Four males were arrested.