A JUDGE has slammed a mother-of-five for spitting at two police officers during the “height of the pandemic” after she was arrested for attacking a man with a claw hammer.

Rosie Hicks, of Blackburn Road, Bradford, will serve at least half-a-year behind bars following her “violent and enraged behaviour” in Slough in April last year.

The 26-year-old “deliberately” spat at the officers, a court heard, to “make them feel worried about coronavirus”.

Reading Crown Court heard how Hicks confronted a Slough family after hearing a “derogatory comment” on April 26, 2020.

She proceeded to hit the family’s door with a claw hammer, causing “extensive damage”, according to prosecutor Philip Levy.

CCTV footage displayed in court then showed a man coming out of the house to confront Hicks, but she then hit him on the head with the weapon causing him injuries.

Police were called and tried to arrest Hicks, who resisted and struggled.

When being handled by officers, she spat at one officer before an anti-spit mask was placed over her head.

She subsequently was able to spit at a second officer through the mask, however.

Mr Levy said: “This makes the case more serious because it was in April 2020 when lockdown was at its height.”

A video was shown in court of Hicks -- who used to live in Slough before moving to Bradford -- being detained after the second spitting incident.

Defending, Anne Faul said officers were treating her “quite roughly” when they detained her.

But Her Honour Judge Nott hit back at this claim, telling the defence counsel she saw officers treating her with “nothing but compassion.”

Ms Faul also told the court about difficulties Hicks had faced in her adult life and pleaded with Judge Nott to give the defendant a suspended sentence.

She added: “She accepts her behaviour was completely unacceptable and that she overreacted.

“She acknowledges herself that she should have just walked away from the situation.

“She has not had an easy life.

“I would ask the court to give her some light at the end of the tunnel.

“She regrets her actions -- she’s a pleasant and quiet woman in normal circumstances."

But Judge Nott waved away this appeal.

Sentencing, she said: “You were out at the height of the pandemic and the country was in lockdown.

“You were out and you heard a derogatory comment which set you off.

“You said you were hitting at the door with a can of Red Bull, but you were hitting at the door with a hammer.

“When the man came out to stop you, you hit him on the head with the hammer.

“Your behaviour didn’t end there. Police had come to arrest you but you didn’t allow them to arrest you.

“You were violent and enraged. You were a risk to other people.

“A female police officer tried to take you to the ground but you turned your head and spat deliberately in her face.

“This was at the height of the pandemic.

“Not only was she disgusted by this but she had two weeks of uncertainty not knowing if she had contracted a disease.

“Even when a spit mask had been put over your head you carried on spitting.

“You managed to spit at a second officer and he was contaminated with your saliva.

“[When asked why she did this] you simply shrugged and said ‘it’s the risk you have to deal with’”.

The judge continued: “These were assaults on emergency workers.

“I have no doubt you deliberately spat at these two police officers one after the other at the height of the pandemic to make them feel worried about coronavirus.

“I have taken into account your very difficult background.

“The reality is that for anybody who spits at emergency workers, but most of all in the height of a pandemic, a custodial sentence is inevitable.”

Judge Nott handed Hicks a 12-month prison sentence after the 26-year-old admitted to affray and assaulting an emergency worker.

Hicks will spend six months in custody before being released on licence.