A WOMAN who faked a miscarriage to avoid being arrested has narrowly avoided prison.

Macauley Hall, 24, assaulted a nurse and three officers and urinated in the back of a police van, Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday.

The 24-year-old also launched a tirade of abuse at the officers and the sister trying to treat her in hospital.

Rachel Stapleton, prosecuting, said: “At around 9.54am on Sunday, September 13, police arrested the defendant on suspicion of criminal damage. She was abusive towards officers and refusing to get in the police van.

“On the road she said she was pregnant and passing water and there was something wrong with the baby and she may be in labour. This was not the case and she had urinated in the back of the van.

“She continued to be abusive in hospital and was shouting and screaming.

“So much so that the sister refused to treat the defendant because of her behaviour.

“She became hysterical and collapsed on the floor outside of the hospital and refused to move.

“She then became aggressive and began lashing out at the police officers.”

Ms Stapleton said two officers were kicked to the head and legs and another was elbowed in the face which left her with facial bruising.

One of the officers said in a statement that Hall’s behaviour was “deplorable,” adding: “She tried to manipulate officers by pretending to have a miscarriage which I find disgusting.

“Her behaviour was deplorable towards everyone who was trying to help her.

“Through no fault of my own I have been left with facial bruising which I now have to explain to my own young family.

“She told officers they deserved to be assaulted and I am totally shocked at her complete lack of remorse for her actions.”

Hall pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting an emergency worker at Sunderland Royal Hospital and three counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker.

Stephen Moore, mitigating, said his client “fully accepted that her behaviour was unacceptable” and that she suffered with significant mental health issues.

He added: “Police have attended and saw damage to a window and tried to arrest Miss Hall for criminal damage – but she did not cause the damage and she was adamant that she did not deserve to be arrested. She admits that she became hysterical.”

District Judge Tim Capstick said: "You have a previous conviction for assaulting a police officer, along with damaging a vehicle and crashing a vehicle that you had taken without consent.

"You have admitted four separate assaults, a sister working in a hospital who was trying to assist you despite your behaviour, and three police officers doing their duty.

"Whether you thought you should have been arrested or not they had reasonable grounds to arrest you and your response was to be verbally abusive and aggressive and you have assaulted them.

"You elbowed an officer to the face and left her with facial bruising leaving her to explain that to her own young family.

"I deal with this day in, day out and I can tell you that nine officers a day are assaulted in County Durham and they need protecting. If we have to start locking people up to get the message out then that is what I will do.

"If you behave like this again then you will go to custody and the fact that you are a single mother will not save you."

Hall, of Easington Street, Peterlee, was sentenced to 12 weeks in custody suspended for 18 months.