Woman jailed for attacking police after refusing to get out of taxi

The assault occurred outside Strand Road police station.

A woman was jailed at Derry Magistrates’ Court on Friday for assaulting police and being disorderly after a taxi driver had to flag police down when she would not leave his vehicle.

Colleen Maguire (36), of Lawrence Hill in Derry, admitted three assaults on police and a disorderly behaviour charge that occurred on August 26.

Derry Magistrates’ Court heard that officers of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) were flagged down by a taxi driver who wanted Maguire removed from his vehicle and she was refusing to do so.

Police persuaded Maguire to get out but she immediately went to the ground, the court was told.

The defendant then became abusive and hit one police officer and kicked another police officer, the court heard.

Defence counsel Michael Donaghey said Maguire 'totally accepts her behaviour was disgraceful.'

He said the defendant had been at a party and an incident had occurred causing her to leave 'in a distressed state.'

He said the taxi driver was concerned and so stopped outside the police station.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that Maguire had been given a suspended sentence in April and this had occurred in August.

He said she had been 'well warned' but ‘some four months later’ had done the same thing.

The judge said that Maguire was 'not un-intelligent' and had been educated to a high level.

The judge concluded: "She knows what she has to do but doesn't appear willing to do it."

Maguire was sentenced to three months in prison.