A WOMAN who 'donkey kicked' a police officer before slinging saliva at custody staff in an explosion of rage has been jailed.

The shocking violence at Banbury Police Station was only sparked after Holly Gittings was arrested on a warrant and demanded her mobile phone back.

The 21-year-old of Brights Avenue, Rainham, appeared via videolink at Oxford Crown Court today to be sentenced for three counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

Outlining the case prosecutor Matthew Walsh said the incident took place after Gittings had been arrested on January 9 this year.

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She had been due to be sentenced at Canterbury Crown Crown for another matter of possession of drugs but had failed to attend so was brought to Banbury Police Station.

Police were trying to transfer her to two GeoAmey prisoner custody officers to be taken to Oxford Magistrates' Court.

Mr Walsh said she then 'became angry' at one police officer - Sgt Richard Sanders - and began asking for her mobile phone to retrieve contact numbers.

Gittings grabbed at the property bag in order to retrieve her phone and she was told 'it was not going to happen.'

She then said 'I am not leaving here without my f***ing numbers.

While the police officer and two GeoAmey officers tried to restrain her and place her in handcuffs she exploded into a rage.

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First she kicked back in what was described as a 'donkey kick' striking Sgt Sanders in the shin.

Gittings then spun around and 'spat directly into his face' and some of the saliva fell on the other two custody officers and also into Sgt Sanders' eye.

She later attended Canterbury Crown Court and was jailed for the drugs offences before admitting the three counts of assault.

At her sentencing hearing it was also revealed that Gittings has a history of violence, made up of 17 previous convictions, including for assaults and battery.

In mitigation her defence barrister William Sneddon said she wanted the phone to be able to contact her family on her release.

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He added that his client apologised to the officer when she came back to the cell and said: "She knew her behaviour was completely unacceptable and she understands that now."

Sentencing, Judge Peter Ross said Gittings had an 'extraordinary record for violence' for her age and jailed her for six months.