Two shameless yobs are caught dancing and laughing outside court

Laughing at the law: Two shameless yobs are caught dancing outside court before they are convicted over violent attack outside a bar

• Sophie Sutton, 32, and Jonathan Meredith, 33, did a little dance before court
• Inside Chester Magistrates Court they appeared over an attack on a PC

Two thugs were seen laughing and dancing outside a court before they were convicted over a violent drunken attack on a policeman.

Mother of two Sophie Sutton, 32, and 33-year-old Jonathan Meredith were seen twirling around each other on tip-toes in ballet-style moves as they waited to appear before magistrates.

The pair had been arrested and ordered to face court after a PC was kicked in the back by Sutton as he tried to arrest Meredith for being aggressive with door staff outside a bar in Northwich, Cheshire.

At Chester Magistrates Court Sutton admitted assaulting an emergency worker, blaming her anxiety and depression for her violent conduct.

Meredith pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly and resisting arrest and said he had been grieving over the death of his mother.

Sophie Sutton, 32, and Jonathan Meredith, 33, did a little dance before their court appearance

Inside Chester Magistrates Court they appeared over an attack on a police constable at night

The pair had 52 previous offences between them on their criminal records.

Andrew Madden, prosecuting, said: ‘It was 11.10pm on March 17. PC Simmons was on patrol and attended Quayside in Northwich.

‘He had been informed of a male acting aggressively towards door staff. When he arrived, he saw Mr Meredith arguing with the door staff. Miss Sutton was slurring her words and unsteady on her feet.

‘There was a further confrontation with Mr Meredith. Miss Sutton kicked PC Simmons in the right-hand side of his lower back.

‘She was arrested for that incident. Mr Meredith was arrested for resisting arrest.’

Meredith, from Rudheath, Northwich had 22 offences on his record including battery in 2017 with his last conviction being for possession of cannabis in December 2022.

The pair had 52 previous offences between them on their criminal records, the court heard

The pair had been arrested and ordered to face court after a PC was kicked in the back 

Sutton, from Hartford, Northwich had 30 previous matters and was last before the courts in July of last year for being drunk and disorderly. She could face up to 12 months in jail for the assault.

Solicitor John Farnham, representing Sutton, said: ‘She does have young children living with her. A child of 16 lives with her and another child aged six. She has a number of mental health issues, including PTSD. She has seen counselling regarding that.

‘She suffers from anxiety and depression, and she is medicated for that. She has previously been known to the probation service. She tells me that she got some great benefit from that.

‘There is a drink issue. When there is a crisis, she does tend to turn to alcohol. Bearing in mind that she has young children living with her, it would be important for a presentence report to be obtained.’

The pair’s dancing stopped for a few moments so they could enjoy smoking a cigarette

Kathryn Higham, representing Meredith, who was said to be an a ‘civil engineer’ earning £130 a day said: ‘He tells me the offence took place on a Friday with the Sunday of that week being Mothers’ Day.

‘Some 18 months ago he lost his own mother to lung disease. He finds that it is a difficult time for obvious reasons, it brings very painful memories. He felt that he was not in the right frame of mind. He accepts that he used alcohol to effectively self-medicate.

‘That, of course, went haywire and that’s why he’s in court today and faced with these two offences. he admits the charges but he did not waste any police resources beyond that initial disturbance.’

Magistrates ordered probation reports on both Meredith and Sutton and adjourned sentencing until April 24.

Meredith was granted unconditional bail while Sutton was bailed on the condition she is not found drunk and disorderly in a public place.

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