Woman shouting and singing 'Up the Ra' at Craigavon Area Hospital is handed jail sentence
A woman who was shouting and singing ‘Up the Ra’ after she was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital has been jailed for four months.
Melissa Stokes, aged 32, whose address was given as Brookvale Park, Derry / Londonderry, was also fined a total of £300 and disqualified from driving for 18 months.
Stokes, who appeared by video link from Hydebank Prison at Dungannon Magistrates Court, admitted charges of assault on police, disorderly behaviour, dangerous driving, driving while unfit through drink/drugs, possessing a Class B drug and failing to stop for police.
The court heard the offences happened on November 5 last year following reports of a Range Rover being driven erratically at Clonoe Road, Dungannon.
Prosecuting counsel said the defendant refused to cooperate with police when they located her in the vehicle outside the chapel on the Mountjoy Road.
The lawyer said the defendant was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital where she was detained under the mental health act.
She said Class B drugs were found during a search and the defendant began shouting and singing ‘Up the Ra’ before assaulting two police officers.
Counsel said one officer was struck to the right ear, while another suffered a cut after the defendant pressed her nail into her thumb.
A defence lawyer said the defendant for a long time had been a victim of domestic abuse and on this occasion she had “pressed a self destruct button”.
He stressed she had no previous convictions for motoring offences or disorderly behaviour, and has been in custody since the date of the offences.