A WOMAN who attacked and bit police officers who tried to stop her from drink driving in a Tesco carpark has avoided an immediate prison sentence.

Stacey May was spotted “stumbling around” Tesco Highwoods on Wednesday, January 24, trying to get into her Vauxhall Vectra so she could drive home.

When she tried to put her keys in the ignition, she was confronted by PC Modeste who asked her if she had been drinking.

May replied: “I had a little bit earlier.”

Aggressive – Stacey May became aggressive towards a police officer after they tried to stop her driving her car in a Tesco car parkAggressive – Stacey May became aggressive towards a police officer after they tried to stop her driving her car in a Tesco car park (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

Chelmsford magistrates heard May, 43, had been drinking at an address with her ex-partner and had driven to Tesco under the influence so she could buy more alcohol.

PC Modeste then informed May he was placing himself on-duty, attempting to take her car keys off her and instructing her not to get back in the car.

Grace Court, prosecuting, said: “May became physically aggressive – she punched PC Modeste and tried to push him away.

“She punched him again in the ribs.”

A passer-by tried to intervene but May responded by slapping her on the arm.

When PC Modeste refused to give May her keys back, she punched him and grabbed him by the collar before she was taken to the ground.

A police car then arrived to take May to the police station.

She headbutted PC Pennick in the back of the vehicle and then leant forward to bite PC Modeste who was sitting in the front seat.

Mark Haigh, mitigating, admitted May had been “foolish”.

He said May, of Bay Tree Close, Colchester, suffers from "fibro fog" and “has no recollection of beating anyone, hitting anyone in the ribs – she accepts it is more likely than not that these things happened”.

Hazy – Mark Haigh, mitigating, said Stacey May did not recollect much of the incidentHazy – Mark Haigh, mitigating, said Stacey May did not recollect much of the incident (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

He continued: “She says alcohol has been an issue in her life but has only considered herself to be an alcoholic since 2017.”

May admitted two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, one count of common assault, and one count of attempting to drive a motor vehicle when over the limit.

Chair of the bench Deputy District Judge Sarah Hannah sentenced May to two months in prison, suspended for a year.

She must also pay £75 in compensation to each of the officers and a further £50 in costs.

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