A WOMAN who was restrained after trying to turn police away from her front door coughed and tried to spit at officers while claiming she had Covid-19.

Kathleen McEvilley, 43, tried to slam the door on officers who attended her address in Chestnut Way, Tiptree, in May last year.

Ipswich Crown Court heard she said they needed a warrant, before an officer prevented the door from closing.

The court was told McEvilley lunged forward and tried to make contact with the officers, who responded by restraining her.

She then kicked out, coughed and tried to spit at two of the officers while claiming to have Covid-19.

She admitted three counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

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Body worn footage of the arrest was played for the court, in which the police can be seen restraining McEvilley on the floor while she hurled abuse.

While watching the footage, a man attending in support of the defendant shouted from the back of the courtroom: “He had her face on the floor.”

The court was told in police interview McEvilley said she didn’t want the officers on her property and added she knew she was about to get arrested due to “ongoing issues” with her neighbour.

The court heard she told officers she “didn’t want to be arrested for something she hadn’t done”.

McEvilley described the incident as “more like a scuffle”, adding she had kicked one of the officers “because he had kicked her in the head, causing a cut”.

Recorder Gabrielle Posner said while the incident “wasn’t her finest moment”, she was prepared to follow the recommendations of a pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service.

She said: “In some way I understand why you were upset about the situation.

“But unfortunately you can’t behave like that, you just can’t.”

She added: “I can see it was a situation that got out of control and I’m sure you bitterly regret finding yourself here.”

McEvilley was given an 18-month community order, with conditions to complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement and an alcohol abstinence monitored requirement.