A detention officer was assaulted after she helped a racist woman who had placed knickers around her own neck in a custody cell, a court heard.
Lucy Goodenough, 24, appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court today (7 September) for sentencing after admitting two separate assaults on emergency workers, using racially aggravated threatening behaviour and the possession of cannabis at an earlier hearing.
The Swindon woman’s offending took place over two days, 12 June and 9 August this year – on both occasions she was intoxicated.
Crown prosecutor Kate Prince said the defendant, of Cleverton Court, Penhill, on the first occasion, was found in Whitbourne Avenue by police officers on patrol.
Concerned about her welfare, they engaged with her and in return, they were pelted with verbal abuse. On smelling cannabis, they asked if she had any drugs on her and she admitted having a small bag of cannabis down her bra. It was produced and seized.
Due to her behaviour, Goodenough was arrested and transported to custody. At Gablecross she was volatile and had to be restrained for a search.
During the search, she kicked out in front of her and struck a female detention officer in the leg, causing bruising and red marks.
At 9.15pm on 9 August, the defendant had been arrested for an unrelated offence. She was said to be heavily intoxicated, aggressive and uncooperative with the officers. As a result, she was taken straight to her cell.
When a female detention officer – different from the previous incident – returned to check on her a short time later, Goodenough had removed her knickers and placed them around her neck like a ligature.
After it she was freed from the underwear, the defendant was placed in safety clothing. It was then that she kicked the female detention officer in the face and called her a “p*ki c*nt”. The kick caused reddening to her jaw.
The court heard she has a previous conviction for assaulting an emergency worker. As reported by Wiltshire 999s at the time, Goodenough was fined for attacking a neighbourhood police officer.
Duty defence solicitor Luke Jameson said his client is “very ashamed and remorseful”, adding that she describes her racist comment to the detention officer as “disgusting”.
Jameson told the court that she lives alone after struggles with a domestic violence relationship, her child is no longer in her care and resides with her mother. He said she has a diagnosis of ADHD and doctors are exploring the possibility she suffers from bipolar.
He claimed his client is not an alcoholic, but binge drinks – “leading her to be inebriated in the street”, he commented.
Probation officer Lesley Shannon-Lowe said that a pre-sentence report was not completed, with the defendant adamant she did not receive a phone call from the probation service.
Magistrates decided to adjourn the case until October so a report can be prepared prior to sentencing. Goodenough was released on unconditional bail.
