Drunk barber arrested for being abusive in Newcastle's Bigg Market kicked officer

A drunk barber kicked an officer in the leg after after taking umbrage to being arrested for being abusive in a city centre.

Ashleigh Smith had been taken to Forth Banks after being detained in Newcastle's Bigg Market but lashed out as she was being put in a cell, a court heard. Footage showed the 32-year-old then being taken to the floor by a number of officers, a move which her solicitor described as "brutal" and being investigated through the complaints procedure.

However, District Judge Gary Garland said he saw no issue with the way in which the police dealt with Smith when she appeared in the dock at Newcastle Magistrates' Court to plead guilty to assaulting an emergency worker. The judge said: "You came down to Newcastle from Aberdeen for a weekend.

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"You consumed significant amounts of alcohol but you were surprised at the effects it had on you. There's no evidence you were spiked and, in my opinion, you just had too much to drink and drink affects people in different ways at different times.

"It's probably the alcohol that caused you to behave in the way you did - the uncharacteristic, foul-mouthed reaction to being arrested. You deliberately kicked the officer and, I'm afraid, the police are entitled to react swiftly and aptly.

"There's clearly no intention from them for your head to bang off the floor. I suspect the injuries on your arm were from the officer grabbing you harder after you kicked them. I see no complaint in the way you were handled."

A court heard that Smith, of Balgownie Way, in Aberdeen, had been out drinking in Newcastle with friends on August 18 this year when she was arrested for being drunk and disorderly outside Cosy Joes, in the Bigg Market. Clare Irving, prosecuting, said she was taken to Forth Banks, where she continued to be obstructive and abusive.

Ms Irving added: "She was given a custody record number and put in cell 15. While she was being processed, she kicked backwards, making contact with an officer's right thigh. There were no injuries recorded."

Lisa Callum, defending, said Smith, who works as a barber, had no past convictions and had initially come to the attention of the police when they tried to "remonstrate" with her friend. Ms Callum continued: "She was taken into custody and strip-searched, which was extremely traumatic for her."

The solicitor told the court: "She did kick out at the officer but the way she was treated after that was, in a way, brutal. There's a police complaint in about that and there will be further investigation."

Smith was fined £100 and must pay £100 compensation, £85 costs and a £40 victim surcharge.