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AN ISLE of Wight woman launched vicious, unprovoked attacks against a friend after an evening together, then bit a police officer’s arm as she tried to flee from Newport Police Station.
Shannon Butler, of St David’s Road, East Cowes, admitted inflicting actual bodily harm against PC Rebecca Dinsdale and assaulting Kate Spence by beating, over the evening of March 26, when she appeared before Island magistrates.
Ann Smout, prosecuting, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, said Miss Spence, a friend of Butler, went for a night out with their respective boyfriends in Newport, drinking and having a good time — until she noticed Butler flirting with her partner — whispering in his ear and stroking his face.
A short time later, Butler and her partner left the pub, but Miss Spence decided to follow, to find out what had been going on.
As Miss Spence arrived at her house, she suddenly felt her hair being pulled from behind, was hauled to the ground and attacked, with Butler on top of her, continuing to pull her hair, Mrs Smout said.
Miss Spence eventually managed to get Butler off her and the pair were separated by their boyfriends.
The victim said she was still on the ground, with head in hands, in a daze, when Butler emerged from her house and attacked Miss Spence again, in identical fashion.
Again, the boyfriends, helped by neighbours, prised Butler off her.
Miss Spence suffered bruising to her knees, a cut knuckle, swelling and pain to her elbow and right hand, and injured her finger, which she believed at the time had been fractured.
Butler was arrested and taken into Newport Police Station.
While she waiting to be placed into custody, Butler, 26, tried to leave the station.
As PC Dinsdale tried to stop her, Butler bit down hard on the officer’s bicep, breaking the skin through her clothing — leaving it badly bruised with teeth marks clearly visible, explained Mrs Smout.
Miss Spence said afterwards: “I don’t feel safe. I’m scared to go to various parts of the town in case I meet someone involved in this assault on me.”
For jobless Butler, with no previous convictions, Jim Osborne said his client deeply regretted her actions — explaining she had mental health problems, which were exacerbated by alcohol.
Butler was handed a 12-month probation order, to include 160 hours’ unpaid work, and told to pay her victims £100 each in compensation.
