A woman who attacked two Bay of Plenty police officers when they stopped her for unlicensed driving has been jailed for three months.
And Natasha Brakenridge, 33, who cut the scalp of one officer and spat in the face of another, will have to attend counselling when she is freed from jail.
Brakenridge, of Greerton, Tauranga, appeared for sentence before Judge Tom Everett in Tauranga District Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to two charges of assault on police, resisting police, and driving while forbidden.
Brakenridge, her partner and an associate were stopped in Welcome Bay, about 10.10pm on New Year's Day, The Bay of Plenty Times reported.
Brakenridge was driving while forbidden and had her vehicle impounded.
When her partner was subsequently arrested on an unrelated matter, Brakenridge hit one of the constables on the side of the head with her hand causing a laceration to his skull.
A struggle took place when she was arrested and she spat at an officer when she was in the police car.
At Tauranga police station she had to be physically restrained while being searched.
Brakenridge's lawyer, Nicholas Dutch, said she accepted she had over-reacted.
Judge Everett said the police summary made for "quite disturbing" reading and Brakenridge's behaviour that night had been described "going ballistic" and "appallingly abusive" to the officers both personally and toward their professions.
He said it was one of most disgraceful incidents of abuse toward police of its kind and was serious offending which required a "purely" deterrent sentence.
"Police are not punching bags, and kicking and punching them and the like will not be tolerated."
He said Brakenridge would have to attend counselling after being freed from jail.
