A teenager has been jailed for stabbing a policeman with a hair clip.

Kelsey Griggs assaulted the officer as he was trying to arrest her father, a court heard.

Colchester Court heard the 19-year-old thought the police were "beating up" her father, Michael Griggs, and lashed out.

The father and daughter, of Oxford Road, Clacton, were rowing in Cambridge Road on December 5 when officers intervened, Colchester Magistrates' Court heard yesterday.

Michael Griggs was trying to restrain his daughter and lashed out when the police stepped in, trying to hit and bite them.

They eventually used CS spray to restrain him and Kelsey Griggs stabbed one of them with her hair clip, causing a 1in cut on his shoulder blade.

She admitted assaulting a police officer at an earlier hearing, where her father admitted a public order offence.

Kelsey Griggs also admitted driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and with no insurance, as well as failing to provide a breath specimen.

The court heard these offences were committed on January 16, while she was on bail awaiting sentence for the assault charge.

David Davies, mitigating for the pair, said Michael Griggs was severely beaten in a pub brawl two years ago and both he and his daughter reacted in the way they did because of the attack.

For the driving offences, he said: "She was with others and offered to drive because they were not fit to do so, but clearly she was not fit to do so."

She was sentenced to 21 days in a young offenders' institution for the assault and 42 days for failing to provide a specimen. The sentences will run concurrently.

She was also disqualified from driving for three years and her licence was endorsed. Michael Griggs was given a 120-hour community punishment order and told to pay £55 towards costs.

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Published Thursday, February 10, 2005

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