Crufts dog groomer said ‘I hope it f***ing hurt’ after attacking three policemen

A woman has avoided jail after blaming menopause for her attack on three policemen who were called to her home over a domestic dispute.

Jacqui Byrne, 52, a dog groomer who was honoured at Crufts, ‘lunged at’ and elbowed another officer before telling them: ‘I hope it f***ing hurt, knobhead.’

Byrne was arrested at her £450,000 lakeside home in the Cheshire Countryside on January 3 this year.

A court heard none of the officers reported any injuries, but the assault was said to be in the ‘highest category’ because she had used a ‘shod foot’ as a weapon to carry out the attack.

Byrne said she had been angry as she was still in her pyjamas when she was being arrested, and had asked to put on a bra or jumper to ‘protect her modesty’.

But her request to the officers was refused as she was being handcuffed and led away to a police station.

She subsequently blamed her unruly behaviour on ’emotional difficulties’ due to her experiencing the menopause.

At Warrington magistrates’ court, mother of two Byrne faced 16 weeks in jail after she admitted three charges of police assault.

But she was fined £200 with £165 in costs and a surcharge after the court found she was seeking both NHS and private medical support for mental health issues.

The court heard she had also been grieving over the death of her brother. Police took no action over the domestic incident – details of which were not disclosed.

Byrne, who has won prizes in various dog shows, including an award for best puppy at last year’s Royal Kennel Club show after displaying her poodle Simba, became ‘irate’, the court heard.

Prosecutor Umer Zeb said: ‘On the date in question, officers attended the defendant’s address and placed her under arrest for an unrelated domestic incident.

‘She became irate, shouting at officers and attempting to walk away, and she was placed in handcuffs. She then kicked out at Police Sargent Sinclair, causing no injury, and other officers arrived.

‘Officers arrested her for police assault, and she said, ‘Good, I hope it f***ing hurt knobhead.’

Her solicitor, Catherine Higham, said Byrne did not understand why she was arrested.

‘At the time police attended at her home address, she was in her pyjamas and had no underwear on. She made a reasonable request to put on a bra, but that request was denied by Cheshire Police,’ Higham said.

‘She then asked if she could wear a jumper and coat, but although both were taken with her, because she was handcuffed, the police refused to put them on her.’

Higham said Byrne has struggled with her mental health and has tried to get support for issues which stemmed from her brother’s death.

Sentencing Judge Steven Bradley told Byrne: ‘We do know from letters you are considering considerable private help. We have considered compensation for the officers. However, we do not feel it is appropriate due to the level of injuries sustained.’

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