Wick woman spat in police officer’s face
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A Wick woman who committed the “despicable” act of spitting in a police officer's face was jailed for six months at the town's sheriff court.
Mother-of-three, Shauna Cassidy, admitted the assault and a previous record of offending.
She was arrested by officers after they were called to a disturbance in Loch Street, Wick, on March 13, and taken to the local police station.
Fiscal depute, Grant McLennan said that around 1am, the 29-year-old was being escorted down a corridor to a cell when she turned and spat directly in Constable Megan Macleod's face.
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Fiona MacDonald said Cassidy accepted that she should not have behaved in such "an inappropriate and offensive way".
The solicitor made the point that further inquiries revealed that the accused had not been to blame for the Loch Street incident and had she "kept her mouth shut" instead of spitting on the officer, she would not have found herself in court.
Cassidy, of Cairndhuna Terrace, Wick, had taken steps to address substance and alcohol issues affecting her mental health.
Miss McDonald added: "She is trying to get her relationship with her three children which broke down, back on track."
Sheriff Wilson, who saw a background report, said that the Appeal Court had given "clear guidance" on how such offenders should be dealt with.
The sheriff continued: "Had you appeared before me with no previous record I might have been persuaded otherwise. However, given your record and the deliberate act to which you have pleaded guilty, there is no alternative to custody."
One of Cassidy's previous convictions involved her smashing a pint glass in the face of a bar customer outside the Queen's Hotel, Wick last year.
The assault, which attracted an eight-month prison sentence, left the victim with a permanent scar.
