A WOMAN who unknowingly had Hepatitis C has pleaded guilty to assault at Redditch Magistrates Court, after she bit her partner’s mother, and a police officer who tried to arrest her.

Kerry Lovegrove, for the Crown Prosecution Service, told magistrates, sitting on Wednesday, September 21, how 36-year-old Sarah Dawson, of Wheatcroft Close in Redditch, had been drinking with her partner and his mother Majorie Clarke on Tuesday, August 16, when the two argued. Dawson lashed out at her, taking hold of her left thumb, biting down hard and refusing to let go.

Mrs Clarke asked her to release the thumb to no avail, and eventually had to hit her to get her to release her grip.

Police had been called to the scene for a separate incident, and when a constable, PC Gina Addis, approached Dawson, and attempted to place her in handcuffs, she bit PC Addis on the back of the hand. Although she managed to pull her hand away relatively quickly, the bite left red teeth marks.

Both victims were subsequently treated at hospital, where it was revealed that Dawson had Hepatitis C and could possibly have infected the two women.

Ms Brandum, defending, explained how Dawson had until recently been the primary carer for her mother, who had died at the beginning of June, and that she had struggled to come to terms with the loss.

She had moved in with her partner, Daniel Clarke, and his mother and the two had built up frustrations, culminating in the assault.

Dawson was found guilty of assault and assaulting a police officer, and sentenced to a 12 month supervised community order. She was also ordered to attend alcoholic treatment for six months, complete 150 hours of unpaid work in the community, and to pay Pc Addis £50 compensation as well as £85 in court costs.

Due to attempts to restore relations between Dawson and Mrs Clarke, no compensation was ordered in that case.