A SUSPENDED jail term has been handed to a 27-year-old Carlisle woman who assaulted a police constable by spitting at her.

Nyomi Allan, of Alexander Street, admitted committing the assault on November 26 last year when he was at the city’s Durranhill Police HQ. The victim was a female police constable, the city’s Rickergate court heard.

After hearing the facts at the city's Rickergate court, magistrates imposed a one-month jail term but suspended it for a year. Explaining the sentence, magistrates said the assault was considered serious “because of the defendant’s previous record and because [it involved] spitting at a police officer while under the influence of alcohol.”

The sentence was suspended, they said, because of Allan’s “caring responsibilities” and to give her an opportunity to rehabilitate.  The defendant must participate in up to 10 days of rehabilitation activity with the Probation Service.

She must also pay the police officer £100 compensation, as well as £85 costs and a £128 victim surcharge.