Pricey penalty for punching policeman

Published on 10th May 2007 in News

Assaulting a police officer had serious consequences for an Old Goole woman this week after she was ordered to pay £170 by the town's magistrates.Gaynor Moore (32), of Derwent Road, pleaded guilty to the assault of Pc Ian Abbott when she appeared at Goole Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

Mrs Julie Laverack Glanville, for the Crown Prosecution Service, told the court that shortly before 9pm on Friday, April 6, Pc Ian Abbott and a colleague were called to The Jailhouse pub in Aire Street after receiving reports of a fight within the public house.

Upon entering, the policemen saw a colleague, Pc Porter, stood with his baton raised in a bid to separate a group of people that were fighting. As Pc Abbott approached the group, a woman stood behind him - believed to be Mrs Moore - began shouting at him and as he turned to face her, she punched him on the nose.

The court heard that Mrs Moore then attempted to strike the policeman again, this time on the head, but she was restrained. Pc Abbott did not sustain any visible injuries.

Defending, Mr David Branscombe said his client, who had a previously good character, was drunk at the time and had no recollection of the offence whatsoever, but said that friends who were at the scene had claimed that it was in fact Pc Abbott who approached Mrs Moore from behind.

As Pc Abbott placed his hand on Mrs Moore's shoulder, she swung round without looking, hitting him in the face.

Mr Branscombe added that at the time, Mrs Moore was 'uptight' because she couldn't find her handbag and said she fully admitted that she could have dealt with the situation better.

"This was totally out of character for her," he said.

Magistrates ordered that Mrs Moore pay a £100 fine and £55 court costs, as well as a compulsory victim surcharge of £15.