Mother to pay damages for assaulting PC while trying to take own life

Mother, 31, must pay police officer £100 damages after elbowing him on the nose while trying to take her own life by running into dual carriageway after arrest for drink-driving

• Florence Sutton, 31, struggled with police officer as she tried to take her own life
• Her SUV had broken down on A556 in Cheshire and she had been drink driving 
• She tried to get out of police car and into path of fast-moving passing traffic 
• The mother-of-two accidentally struck officer’s nose with her elbow in the tussle
• Court has ordered her to pay officer £100 damages and banned her from driving

A desperate mother-of-two who struggled with a police patrolman as he tried to stop her taking her own life on a busy dual carriageway has been ordered to pay him £100 damages and a £300 fine for the ‘reckless’ assault.

Florence Sutton, 31, who had been drinking heavily and was in her pyjamas, accidentally struck the PC on the nose with her elbow as she tried to run into the path of passing traffic while shouting: ‘I want to die.’

Moments earlier Sutton had been arrested for drink driving after the officer attended the breakdown of her Mitsubishi SUV on the fast lane of the A556 Northwich bypass near Rostherne, Cheshire.

A desperate mother-of-two who struggled with a police patrolman as he tried to stop her taking her own life

As she was placed in the patrol car and handcuffed she began tussling with the officer and tried to push past him as he told her: ‘Stop f***ing about, you are next to the live lane!’

Sutton was more than 20 miles from her home in Hyde, Greater Manchester having consumed wine with a friend. 

An initial breath test showed she was over twice the alcohol limit but she blew a lower reading later. 

When quizzed she said: ‘I know the officer was just doing his job and I didn’t mean to hurt him. I am sorry for what I did.’

At Warrington Magistrates Court, Sutton was warned she faced jail after she admitted assaulting an emergency worker and drink driving.

But she was fined £300 and ordered to pay the officer – known only as PC Crawford – £100 compensation. 

She was also banned from driving for 16 months and ordered to pay a £120 victim surcharge.

Miss Sutton began tussling with the officer and tried to push past him as he told her: ‘Stop f***ing about, you are next to the live lane!’

Angela Blackmore, prosecuting, said the incident on September 17 occurred after PC Crawford was deployed to assist highways traffic officers at 9.10pm following a live lane traffic breakdown of Sutton’s bronze-coloured Eclipse Cross vehicle.

‘The officers believed that the driver may be under the influence of something,’ Mrs Blackmore said.

‘The highways officers closed one lane of the dual carriageway which has a national speed limit and the officer spoke to the highways officers in relation to the matter.

‘They thought something was not quite right with the defendant. Her vehicle had broken down, the clutch had burnt out and there was litter outside of her car. They believed it did not seem right.

‘The officer spoke to the defendant who was wearing her pyjamas. She provided her details when requested but the officer believed she was slurring her words and she was asked for a specimen of breath at the roadside.

‘She was not compliant for two attempts but then provided a reading of 71 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. She was cautioned and arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and then her behaviour changed.’

The court heard Sutton tried to push past PC Crawford to get out of his police vehicle whilst shouting: ‘I do not want to be here, I want to die.’

‘She didn’t deliberately hurt the officer’s shoulder. She knew he was just doing his job and she was sorry for what she had done’, Angela Blackmore, prosecuting, said

‘The officer was concerned that the defendant would get out of the vehicle into the live lane,’ Mrs Blackmore continued, ‘It is the national speed limit and traffic was passing at the time. 

‘She struggled violently with the officer, shouting that she wanted to get out and became more and more erratic.

‘He did eventually manage to handcuff the defendant, but she repeated what she was saying about wanting to die.

‘There was a struggle as the officer kept hold of her handcuffs to stop her getting out of the car during which he injured his shoulder and was hit on the bridge of his nose with either her elbow or her forearm.

‘Though she calmed down her behaviour would escalate again as the officer continued to struggle with her until another patrol arrived to provide assistance. 

‘During the police interview she said she had been with a friend and drank wine and left,’ Mrs Blackmore said, ‘She said the the vehicle had broken down and the clutch had burnt out.

Sutton had been arrested for drink driving after the officer attended the breakdown of her Mitsubishi SUV on the fast lane of the A556 Northwich bypass near Rostherne, Cheshire

‘After being arrested she said she had a panic attack and was trying to get out of the car. She didn’t deliberately hurt the officer’s shoulder. She knew he was just doing his job and she was sorry for what she had done.’

A subsequent breath test showed Sutton has 57 mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg. 

Mrs Blackmore said it was accepted that her actions were the result of trying to get out of the car and that the assault was on a reckless basis.

In mitigation Sutton’s lawyer Gary Schooler said that she has two young children, aged four and six, and is a full-time carer.

Her eldest child has severe autism which causes stress in the household.

Mr Schooler also said that Miss Sutton ‘has significant mental health problems’. 

‘She suffered domestic violence at the hands of a previous partner and that has clearly had a detrimental effect on her mental health over the years. 

In mitigation Sutton’s lawyer Gary Schooler said that Miss Sutton ‘has significant mental health problems’

‘She is on medication which she takes for panic attacks. She never intended to cause the officer any physical harm but she was suffering from a panic attack. 

‘She started to have breathing difficulties and wanted to get out and get some fresh air. She struggled and panicked in the back of the police vehicle. She didn’t strike the shoulder of the police officer. He had a hold of the central bar of the handcuffs and he is clearly being pulled during the struggle.

‘He referred to discomfort but no harm was ever intended by Miss Sutton. In the context of describing the struggle he indicates that her elbow came into contact with his nose causing minor discomfort. She never intended to assault the officer and never intended to inflict the injury.

‘I fully accept that the officer has stated that he did not want her to leave the vehicle. He did not know what she was going to do, especially in the context of her saying she wanted to die. The whole thing has been a very distressing incident for all involved.’

Sentencing Sutton, JP Alan Eyres told her: ‘This offence could have got you sent to prison today. We could have done all sorts of things. We could have made an order that kept you in over Christmas or given you a tag so that whenever you have a drink it flags it up. You do need to realise that this kind of offence is very serious.’

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