A teenager confronted police officers when she saw them searching a boy in Barton, a court heard.

Renaya Chadbone, 19, was subject to a suspended sentence for assaulting constables, when she went to the youngster’s aid in Underhill Circus, Barton, on May 20.

Oxford Magistrates’ Court heard that she believed they were being heavy-handed with the youngster, who was known to her. The teen’s intention was to find out why he was being detained, her lawyer said.

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Prosecutor Ben May told the court on Saturday that Chadbone approached the officers aggressively shouting ‘are you going to arrest me too?’

The officers were said to have pushed the teenaged girl back but had to ‘withdraw from the defendant to maintain their safety’.

She continued to follow the officers and was again pushed away. Mr May said that CCTV footage showed her kicking towards one of the constables, hitting him in his arm.

The two police officers tried to put the boy, who they were searching when Chadbone first approached them, into the back of a police vehicle.

Mr May said: “Ms Chadone ran towards the officers further trying to interfere. The officers were clear to her she had to stand back but she ignored them.”

One of the PCs stood between the defendant and his colleague. Chadbone allegedly threatened to ‘smash’ the latter’s jaw in.

She was caught on the officer’s bodyworn video camera to spit at him, with the spittle hitting his trouser leg.

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Chadbone’s lawyer told the magistrates on Saturday that she had not intended to spit at the officer. She had been sprayed with pepper spray by the officer. Some off the spray got into her mouth and she was spitting it out, the court heard.

She fled the scene but handed herself into the police station late last week.

Appearing before the justices, Chadbone, formerly of Windmill Road, Oxford, pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting an emergency worker. She said from the dock: “I was assaulted first.”

Her pleas put her in breach of a 12-week suspended sentence imposed last summer for a string of assaults on police officers.

She appealed the immediate 16-week prison sentence she was given by the district judge. On appeal at the crown court in August the jail term was reduced from 16 weeks to 12 and suspended for 18 months.

Announcing the sentence last year, Judge Maria Lamb told Chadbone: “We accept that there is here a narrow window of opportunity. You are heading fast to the wrong side of the tracks and there will be available to you if you reoffend increasing prison sentences. Do you understand what I am saying?”

Chadbone was bailed by the magistrates to return to court on June 30 for sentence. A pre-sentence report was ordered.

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward