Woman back behind bars after drunken spit attack on police officer

A VIOLENT thug who spat in the face of a police officer just days after being released from prison is back behind bars.

Katrina Cathro also lashed out inside a police vehicle after carrying out the repulsive assault at Mary Slessor Square on Monday morning.

Cathro committed the offence just ten days after she was freed from a jail sentence.

The Tele previously told in March how Cathro was locked up after stealing a raft of goods after breaking into properties in the city in December.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard that, in the latest incident, police were called out following reports of a disturbance just after 10am on July 20. They discovered a sozzled Cathro and attempted to place her in the rear of a marked police vehicle.

However, the 33-year-old became aggressive and was removed from the car after she continually kicked the seats. Officers had planned to take Cathro to her home at Clifden Blue Court, but she could not provide police with the address. Matters then escalated as officers waited for colleagues to arrive in a van.

Fiscal depute Gavin Burton said: “Due to her behaviour another unit was requested to attend. Prior to being placed in the van, the accused was informed that she was going to be searched and, during the course of that search, she turned and spat saliva directly into the face of the police officer.

“She was restrained and placed in the van.” While en route to police headquarters on West Bell Street, Cathro continued to shout and banged her head off the vehicle cage repeatedly.

Appearing from custody, Cathro pleaded guilty to repeatedly shouting, swearing, kicking the interior of a police vehicle, striking her head against it and adopting an aggressive demeanour. This was before she assaulted PC Nicola Grant by spitting on her face.

Ross Donnelly, defending, said Cathro was apologetic for her behaviour but believed she was on the receiving end of heavy-handed policing.

“I am instructed to offer her apologies, in particular to the police officer that she spat at,” Mr Donnelly told Sheriff John Rafferty.

“She was in a different address, police arrived for a matter that was nothing to do with her and she was somewhat aggrieved about what she perceived to be heavy-handed conduct by the police. I think she accepts that whatever her views on whether it was heavy-handed, the way she behaved was not an appropriate way of dealing with matters.”

Before jailing Cathro for 200 days, Sheriff Rafferty said: “With a record like this and even without a record like this, the court should be protecting police officers and, in particular, protecting police officers from someone who chooses to spit in their face.”

Dundee Sheriff Court.