Woman urinated on police officer after being arrested for punching staff at gig

A woman urinated on a police officer as she was arrested for punching a staff member at gig.

Taia Antonia Ryder, 28, drunkenly attacked a manat Liverpool's Blackstone Street Warehouse after he tried to help her when he realised she had a cut on her forehead. The attack happened on February 1, after Ryder, from Warrington, consumed "six to seven cocktails before she went to the event and a couple of drinks at the bar" when staff at the venue checked on her.

Derek Jones, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court yesterday: "Staff were trying to assist her to see if she was OK, but after that she started to become aggressive with staff, and she said 'I'm going to kill you' to Marcus Hongkins (the victim).

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"When she was taken to one side to the search area, she appeared to calm down so the staff let go to her, and at that point Mr Hongkins describes her punching him with her left fist to his lip, causing a cut."

Police were called along with paramedics, as "it was quite clear she appeared to be under the influence of something." Officers attended and it was decided that Ryder should go to hospital, but she then "began thrashing around in the chair and said 'I'm going to spit at you.'"

PC Adam Humphreys then attempted to put a spit hood - a type of restraint intended to prevent spitting or biting - on her before she "lunged forward and bit him on the left forearm." Ryder was restrained and taken by ambulance to hospital.

Mr Jones added: "Her behaviour was erratic, being abusive to the officers, but at the next minute saying 'you're lovely people, it's not your fault.'" Inside the hospital, she became aggressive toward medical staff and was described as "lunging towards the doctor and threatening to bite one of the officers."

Mr Jones said: "PC Angel Hill started retraining the defendant's legs, and at that point she noticed the thigh of her left leg becoming wet, and noticed the defendant had urinated while being held down.

"There were some words from the defendant that she had urinated on the officer deliberately. But the officer then stated she had to spent a further couple of hours with the defendant in hospital in her uniform, which was urine soaked."

After being discharged from hospital at around 11.20pm, Ryder was taken to Edge Lake police station, where she spat in the face of PC George Whitehead after tried to remove a blanket from her.

Mr Jones said: "When she was interviewed the next day she confirmed she had had a lot to drink: six to seven cocktails before she went to the event, and a couple of drinks from the bar. She remembered seeing swirls and patterns in front of her eyes, and could not remember anything after that.

"She didn't deny what had happened, but she did say she was really sorry for her actions. She realised everyone was trying to help her." Ryder pleaded guilty to one count of assault by beating and three counts of assaulting a police officer.

She also admitted to breaching a suspended sentence she had been given in November 2023 for being in charge of being in charge of dangerously out of control dog, and smuggling class A drugs into prison, reports the Liverpool Echo. Ken Heckle, defending, said Ryder suffered from "complex problems" and had fallen through cracks of different agencies."

He added: "She believes her mental health has kicked in and she had some sort of psychosis, which can happen with alcohol, and she has indicated she has very little recollection of it. But nonetheless the very next day at the police station she was apologising. So there is genuine remorse and regret right the way through this case." The 28-year-old shook her head and cried throughout the hearing.

Ryder was sentenced to two months in prison, suspended for 12 months. He imposed a £200 cost instead of activating her suspended sentence, and also ordered her to complete 25 rehabilitation days and a three-month alcohol abstinence.