Mother who attacked top Wolverhampton cop admits lying

Denise Dickens hurled racist abuse at Superintendent Keith Fraser before pushing him over and pinning him to the ground when he intervened in her attack on a teenage girl on a bus.

A year ago, Birmingham magistrates decided not to send her to prison after hearing her baby was in hospital suffering with a lung disease and might be taken in to care if she was locked up.

But Dickens was back in court this week and pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice by not telling the truth in the earlier hearings.

The 24-year-old, from Rosemary Road, Rednal, appeared at Birmingham Crown Court and the matter was adjourned until October 22, when the prosecution will give the full details of the case.

In her initial sentencing hearing, Dickens's defence solicitor Miss Natasha Adams said: "She is greatly concerned by what could happen to her young son if she is taken into custody. She is desperate to turn her life around."

Mr Roger Smith, chairman of the bench, then told her: "We feel these offences are very serious and pass the threshold of custody. But in view of your circumstances and the issues with your young baby we have decided to give you a community order. Think yourself lucky that today you have got away with it."

The attack on Supt Fraser, who is Wolverhampton's Head of Crime and Operations, happened just seconds after Dickens assaulted 17-year-old Rebecca McEwan on the number 45 bus in Birmingham.

The police officer, who was not in uniform and off-duty at the time, got between the pair and began shepherding Dickens, together with her three travelling companions, down the stairs of the bus.

Dickens racially abused the officer and continued to struggle with him once they had left the bus, at which point he placed her under arrest.

Prosecutor, Miss Ebony Mitchell-Whyte told the previous hearing: "He was trying to restrain the defendant and keep the others away. He was in fear for his personal safety."

Dickens assaulted the officer and pinned him to the ground until rookie PCSO Osman Mahmood - who was also off duty and travelling on the bus but did not know Supt Fraser - hauled her off him.

The pair then manage to restrain the group until reinforcements arrived.

Dickens admitted assault and was found guilty of racially aggravated common assault with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

She was given a 12-month community order with a 12-week curfew and ordered to attend an aggravated behaviour course