Woman back behind bars after biting policeman on first day of freedom
A woman who attacked a taxi driver and bit a police officer, then claimed that she had an infectious disease transmitted in the blood, just hours after being freed from a long prison sentence was back behind bars today.
Louise Omari-Cole, who has a long string of previous convictions, became violent after getting drunk while 'celebrating' her liberty following a three-and-a-half year jail term for robbery, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
The 32-year-old attacked Mohammed Turfan in a row over the cost of a fare after giving the taxi driver the 'run around' by asking him to go to several incorrect addresses in Wolverhampton.
He ordered Omari-Cole and fellow passenger Letitia Bailey, aged 28, to get out because of their behaviour.
He was then attacked by both when he started to ring the police, said Miss Amanda O'Mara, prosecuting.
The pair punched Mr Turfan while Omari-Cole also hit him in the face with a bottle, cutting his nose.
They then proceeded to damage the taxi when he left them in Merridale after Bailey tried to pick his pocket, the court was told.
He stayed in the area and identified the attackers to police when they arrived to arrest both women in the early hours of February 27.
At the police station Omari-Cole – who had 24 previous convictions involving 71 offences – was taken to the floor by officers after kicking out at them, continued Miss O'Mara.
She bit the custody sergeant on the thigh and told him she had Hepatitis C, condemning the officer to an anxious wait until tests proved he had not contracted the disease, added the prosecutor.
Mr Jasvir Mann, defending, explained: "She had just been released from a significant prison sentence and had come to this part of the country to celebrate her liberty when she got herself in this very serious trouble.
"Drink played its part."
Omari-Cole from Hayes, Middlesex pleaded guilty to two assaults and criminal damage and was jailed for one year 10 months by Judge Kristina Montgomery QC.
Judge Montgomery told her: "You gave the taxi driver the run-around and then assaulted him before biting a police officer and giving him a sustained period of significant concern by telling him you had Hepatitis C."
Bailey of Lane Court, Whitmore Reans, who was of previous good character, pleaded guilty to a single assault and was given an eight-month jail term suspended for a year.
