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An “animalistic” Nottingham drug addict lashed out against police officers on three separate occasions when they came to arrest her. Nottingham Crown Court heard how Melissa Denman kicked and struck seven different victims during her Mamba-fuelled offending spree.
The 29-year-old also pulled items from the shelves of a sweet shop when the owner refused to let her use the toilet. The heavily-convicted defendant used vile sexual language against a police woman who had taken her to the Queen’s Medical Centre.
Jailing her for 21 months, Judge Michael Auty KC said: “These (the police officers) are people we trust to keep us safe. They do their job without fear or favour in the face of appalling conduct like you demonstrated so openly on a number of occasions.
“If this case demonstrates anything, then it certainly demonstrates what a wicked, pernicious and vile drug mamba is. It is described by those who don’t understand as “synthetic cannabis” but it is infinitely worse.
“The sad reality is that you are still only 29 years old and your life has been blighted by domestic violence and your (criminal) record is of some length for someone who is comparatively still young. But most of your violence is against emergency workers and those who are trying to help you the most.”
Sam Lowne, prosecuting, said the three sets of offences all happened in a seven-month period from last summer. He said on July 22, the defendant was in Mansfield and walked into a sweet shop asking to use the toilet but when the owner refused she started dragging items off the shelf and on to the floor.
The prosecutor said: “The police were called and she became aggressive, kicking one of them to the abdomen. As she was restrained she carried on kicking out.” Mr Lowne said that while on bail for that set of offences, she failed to turn up for court and so the police went to Framework, in London Road, on January 15, this year, where it was believed she was staying.
He said she was in the reception area and again, as she was arrested, started kicking at the officers. The prosecutor said after being released on bail a second time, on February 5, her boyfriend called the police to report that she had assaulted him in the Pit and Pendulum pub in the city centre.
Mr Lowne said: “He described her hitting him multiple times using her arms and grabbing him around the throat. Officers arrested her and put her in the van to take her to custody but she slipped the handcuffs and kicked a female officer in the stomach and groin area.
“She then swallowed a small object and so was taken to the QMC where a small packet fell from her bra which was recovered and found to be Mamba.”
In a victim impact statement, one of the female officers Denman attacked said: “In almost five years working for the police I have never experienced violence or behaviour like this. I would describe it as ‘animalistic’.”
The defendant, of London Road, pleaded guilty to seven counts of assaulting an emergency worker, two counts of common assault, possession of Mamba and criminal damage. She said 13 previous court appearances for 25 offences.
Chris Brewin, mitigating, said his client “presents better since she has been in custody and stopped taking drugs which is mainly Mamba”. He said: “It won’t be a surprise to the court to hear about her chaotic upbringing and domestic violence. Hopefully custody this time will give her the chance to stop the drugs.”
“}]] ‘In almost five years working for the police I have never experienced violence or behaviour like this’ Read More
