Scarborough woman Lucy Stonehouse jailed for spitting at emergency services worker

Lucy Mary Stonehouse, 24, became aggressive and assaulted a detention officer when she was brought into custody in Scarborough for an unrelated matter on Wednesday.

Yesterday, she was sent to prison for 26 weeks and ordered to pay £100 in compensation after appearing at Leeds Magistrates’ Court.

Stonehouse, of Barrowcliff Road, Scarborough, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency services worker.

Speaking after the hearing, Detective Sergeant Jane Brewster said: “Any assault on emergency services workers is unacceptable, but this kind of vile behaviour amid the current risk of Covid-19, is particularly deplorable and distressing for the victim.

“Throughout these difficult times, police officers and police staff continue to put their service to the public first, to keep people and communities safe across North Yorkshire.

“Nobody should be assaulted for doing their job and I hope the custodial sentence given to Stonehouse shows how completely unacceptable this is.”

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has already said that anyone who deliberately coughs at emergency services workers or uses having Covid-19 as a threat faces serious criminal charges.