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Search forAttack only stopped when wig slipped off
Friday, November 14, 2008, 16:53
Neath Magistrates Court heard that Emma Louise Sutton, of Oakwood Street, only released her grip on the officer's neck to adjust her wig, which had fallen off during the attack.
Sutton, aged 32, pleaded guilty in court to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and a public order offence.
Andrew Smith, prosecuting, said Constable Janette Rees attended Sutton's home address just after 5pm on September 11, initially to assist her.
The court heard that the father of two of her children, Richard Finch, had come to visit and, during this time, Sutton left the house after an argument but could not get back in.
Mr Smith said Constable Rees found her banging on the door and shouting.
He added that when the door was opened Sutton "barged in" and grabbed hold of Mr Finch's face with "a claw-like" grip.
The court heard that during the incident one of Sutton's young children was crying and said: "Stop it, mammy".
When Constable Rees tried to persuade Sutton to stop attacking Mr Finch, the defendant turned her anger on the officer, the court heard.
"The defendant grabbed hold of her around the neck and squeezed her around the throat, causing her to have problems breathing," said Mr Smith.
He added that the officer then pressed her emergency assistance button and grabbed Sutton by the hair in an attempt to get her off her.
"As she pulled her hair, or what she believed was her hair, a wig fell on the floor," said Mr Smith.
He added that Sutton then reacted by telling Constable Rees: "You have pulled my wig off, I want it back."
The court heard that Sutton again tightened her grip on Constable Rees's neck until another woman called Stacey White arrived on the scene, and tried to help.
Ms White then put Sutton's wig back on her head, causing the defendant to release her grip in order to correct its position.
Constable Rees and Ms White were then able to get Sutton outside and she was handcuffed until assistance arrived, said Mr Smith.
In a victim impact statement, Constable Rees said: "I thought she would kill me. I was so scared."
She added that she was grateful to the members of the public who came to her assistance during the incident.
Chris White, mitigating, said Sutton was a single mother of four who had suffered a number of setbacks, including losing her mum in March.
He said she had also found a lump in her breast prior to the incident but had been given the all-clear this week.
A probation representative added that Sutton had expressed remorse and "said she could not remember much about the offence".
The court heard that there did not appear to be any drink or drug issues involved.
District Judge Richard Williams jailed Sutton for 84 days and told her she would serve half of this term.
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