Sidmouth woman fined after kicking female police officer

A woman from Sidmouth has been ordered to pay compensation to a female police officer whom she kicked in the groin during a drunken fracas.

Christine Stafford was so drunk, after a night out in Exeter, that police arrested her and took her to hospital because she was unable to stand up, a court heard.

She kicked out at police sergeant Sarah Clark while she was at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, making contact with what a judge described as the officer's 'nether regions'.

Stafford, aged 59, of Salters Meadow, Sidmouth, admitted assault on an emergency worker and being drunk and disorderly when she appeared at Exeter Crown Court on Wednesday (November 20).

She was ordered to pay £100 compensation by Judge Timothy Rose, who told her to address her alcohol problems, through 10 days of rehabilitation activities under a one-year community order.

He told her: "You have stayed out of trouble and have saved up the money to pay compensation, as you were asked to do.

"When you consider the incident in the round, I understand you got yourself injured in the incident.

"It is right to observe that you were completely drunk at the time. It is an unpleasant situation for anyone to be kicked in what might be called the nether regions, which is always unwelcome."

Nigel Wraith, prosecuting, said the incident happened at 10.54pm on July 10, 2019, outside the Horse and Groom pub in Fore Street, Heavitree.

She was taken to hospital because she could not stand up. She became agitated, punched a wall, and kicked out at Sgt Clark, making contact in the area of the pubic bone.

Kelly Scrivener, defending, said Stafford has been doing well under a previous supervision order and is addressing issues around alcohol and her mental health.

She said she also suffered injury during the incident and her arrest.