A PENRITH woman has admitted assaulting six police constables and one sergeant over the course of several hours while suffering from mental difficulties.
Deborah Isabel Dixon, 42, appeared at Carlisle Crown Court this afternoon (WED).
During a short hearing in front of Recorder Eric Lamb, Dixon admitted seven offences of assaulting emergency workers – all police officers – by beating them. Dixon also pleaded guilty to one charge of causing racially aggravated intentional harassment alarm or distress.
Six of the seven assaults are said to have been committed at Whitehaven’s West Cumberland Hospital. Three are said to have occurred on June 22 and four on the following date, with six female officers named in the charges.
Dixon, of Carleton Road, Penrith, had her case adjourned after Recorder Lamb concluded the preparation of a probation service pre-sentence report was “essential”.
He had heard prosecutor Francis McEntee say: “This was, as Your Honour will gather from the papers, an unhappy incident when she was suffering from some mental disturbance.”
The judge was also told by Dixon’s lawyer, Jeff Smith – who provided some background details about the defendant – he would seek a report from her GP for the sentencing hearing.
Recorder Lamb adjourned the case until August 19 and granted her unconditional bail in the meantime. But he said of the adjournment: “This court is giving you no indication at all as to what sentence will ultimately be passed. All sentencing options remain open.”
