Woman jailed over threats to jump off abridge

A NORTH Yorkshire woman, who repeatedly threatened to jump off a bridge, has been jailed by a judge who cited her behaviour as “attention seeking of its worst kind”.

Bethany De Cogan, 21, threatened to jump from a bridge on the A19 near Thirsk on three separate occasions, last year, causing the road to fully close more than once while members of the emergency services attended.

York Crown Court was told how De Cogan, of Kilburn village, was previously given a Criminal Behaviour Order for causing disruption on the East Coast Main Line in May 2019.

After drinking alcohol, she lay on the level crossing at Northallerton.

The incident led to 123 minutes of delays to trains and cost railways companies more than £10,000.

The order prevented her from going to the Northallerton and Thirsk railway stations, except for legitimate reasons, and also from calling the emergency services, except for a genuine purpose.

Prosecuting Michael Bosomworth explained how, as well as threatening to jump, De Cogan had repeatedly attacked both police officers and ambulance staff who had tried to help her, mainly after consuming alcohol.

De Cogan pleaded guilty to six breaches of her CBO.

In mitigation, Chris Morrison said a psychiatric report completed on De Cogan revealed she has a personality disorder.

“This will never be tackled unless she stops drinking,” he said.

The Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, sentenced De Cogan to two years and seven months in prison.