Woman sentenced for attack on Asian PCSO
Categories: Latest News
Tuesday April 12 2016
The Manchester Evening News reports on the sentencing of a woman charged with racially aggravated common assault for an attack on an Asian Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) in Manchester city centre on 11 November 2015.
Alicia Kenworthy, 38, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated common assault at Manchester magistrates court this week.
The court heard that officers had been called to an incident involving a homeless man in the city centre when the altercation happened.
Kenworthy was one of two women on site and was said to be unhappy with the officers’ response to a stress call concerning a homeless man found on the ground.
The court heard that Kenworthy dropped her handbag and “squared up” to the Asian PCSO before the homeless man intervened.
Prosecutor Nicola Ormerod told the court that Kenworthy said to the Asian officer, “I’m not scared of you. I’m going to hit you”.
“She punched the officer and hit his nose, clawed at his face and knocked off his hat,” Ormerod added.
Again the homeless man tried to intervene but Kenworthy kept at it shouting “come on then” at the officer and then made comments about “his kind” before saying, “I can call them p***s because I’m married to one.”
In a victim statement read out in court, the PSCO said: “The incident shook me and I was shocked at what happened to me.
“At the time I was extremely upset and scared for my personal safety. I am someone who loves to help people and get involved in the community.”
Kenworthy entered a guilty plea and told the court, “I’m sorry for what I have done and I should have taken my medication. It all got out of control. I have reflected back on it. I could have handled it differently.”
Kenworthy was handed a 12-month community order, a six-month curfew between 7pm and 7am and was ordered to pay £100 compensation, £200 costs and £20 victim surcharge.