Woman jailed after spitting into nurse’s face as she travelled home from shift during height of Covid lockdown

A woman who spat at a nurse taking a train home during the height of the Covid lockdown has been jailed.

Jane Kelly Brown, 26, assaulted the woman after criticising what she was wearing.

The victim had moved seats and called police after Brown’s behaviour as she drank wine and spoke loudly about collecting cocaine.

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Once they got off at Penmaenmawr station, north Wales, on April 2 this year, Brown approached her again, saying “What’s your problem?”

She then spat a mouthful of wine into the nurse’s eyes and face.

A member of the rail staff saw what happened and called the police. They then led the victim back onto the train to check their welfare.

What the sentence was

Brown initially denied spitting at the victim but after being identified from CCTV on board the train she changed her plea to guilty during the trial at Llandudno Magistrates’ Court.

Brown, from Bryn Eglwys, Conwy, admitted to assault and was sentenced to 10 weeks which was increased to a total of 32 weeks for breaching a Suspended Sentence Order.

She was also ordered to pay £200 in compensation following the British Transport Police investigation.

‘Absolutely disgusting behaviour’

Investigating officer, Jon Liptrot, said: “Spitting at an innocent passenger on their way home from a shift as a key worker, in the middle of a pandemic, is absolutely disgusting behaviour.

"This type of behaviour will not be tolerated on the railway and we’re grateful to the sentence imposed by the courts.”

Mr Liptrot continued by saying: “I’d like to thank the train guard for their quick-thinking and for supporting the victim until the police arrived and to highlight the bravery of the victim and witness for standing up to such unacceptable behaviour.

"Our nurses have a hard-enough job, never mind having to be subjected to awful incidents like this.”

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