THE partner of a man accused of a serious offence has been jailed for attacking a police officer.

Roma Burnside feared for the future following her partner’s imprisonment, York magistrates heard.

But when she phoned police feeling suicidal, she ended up in prison herself. She has a history of theft, dishonesty and mental health issues.

Kathy Turnbull, prosecuting, said PC Sarah McCarthy and a colleague went to Roma Burnside’s home to check on her welfare after she phoned them after drinking.

They found her trying to harm herself and intervened, but she objected. In the struggle that followed, she pushed an officer against the wall.

As police escorted her out of the building, she kicked PC McCarthy in the leg and the officers called for back-up.

Burnside, 45, of Apollo Street, off Cemetery Road in York, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer in the execution of her duty on January 22, theft of a £9.99 Christmas wreath on December 10 from Aldi in Fulford Road, breaching a conditional discharge imposed for theft and handling cuff links stolen in a burglary in December. She was jailed for a total of ten weeks.

Meg Waldron, for Burnside, said her client had mental health problems which had been exacerbated by her partner being remanded in custody on a serious charge.

She had drunk a lot of alcohol and became disorientated and “wasn’t in a very good state of mind” when the police arrived, said the solicitor.