A mobility scooter-riding 26-year-old who punched a supermarket cashier in the head then bit two off-duty cops who stepped in to help has narrowly avoided jail.

Britanny Shea became abusive to the Asda cashier, punching them in the head at the Stanley, County Durham, store in July 2021.

When a couple, who both happened to be off-duty police officers, witnessed the incident while doing their weekly shop they stepped in to detain Shea by sitting her back down on her mobility scooter while staff called 999.

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But the 26-year-old had another outburst and bit both off-duty cops. The copper couple both required hospital treatment and have been left with permanent scars.

Shea, who lives in Bramwell Street, Kettering in Northamptonshire, was arrested and later charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one count of assault.

She pleaded guilty to all three offences.

The Northern Echo: Shea appeared before Peterlee Magistrates Court this week.Shea appeared before Peterlee Magistrates Court this week. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

Appearing before Peterlee Magistrates Court on Tuesday (May 2) Shea, who also refers to herself as Amoshett Mullins, heard the officer describe how the disfigurement she had caused was something she had to look at every day and would be for the rest of her life.

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Shea narrowly avoided jail with District Judge Steven Hood telling her: “I cannot emphasise enough how close you were to a custodial sentence.”

He handed her the maximum community order he could impose of two years with 40 days of rehab activity and 130 hours’ unpaid work.

Judge Hood also praised the bravery of the off-duty officers who stayed until uniformed back-up arrived despite their injuries, saying: “Police officers are never off duty, as it’s said.”