‘Poster girl’ for reformed yobs in boozy attack on police

A MENTOR for young offenders went on a booze-fuelled rampage and had to be restrained by five police officers.

The mentor for young offenders had to be restrained by five police officers The mentor for young offenders had to be restrained by five police officers

The “poster girl” for troublemakers, Shireen Dixon, attacked the officers as they tried to arrest her in a caravan park.

Her photograph is used on leaflets given to young people to show others how she has turned her life around.

But magistrates heard she failed to practise what she preaches on the afternoon of July 28 at the Bewick Main site in Birtley, Gateshead. She became abusive and aggressive when police arrested a girlfriend for urinating on the steps of Ravensworth Terrace Primary School, Birtley.

Dixon, 20, was arrested, but lashed out with her arms and legs. The Gateshead court was told she does not like the police – who she blames for not helping her mother who was a victim of domestic violence – and has been jailed multiple times for assaulting officers and resisting arrest.

But she was spared jail for her latest attack on police. Instead, magistrates gave her a 12-month supervised community order and a curfew. Dixon, who pleaded guilty to assaulting three officers, using threatening behaviour, criminal damage and attempted damage to a police cell and breaching a conditional discharge, must stay indoors for two months between 7pm and 6am at the detox centre in Newcastle where she is a resident.

Prosecutor David Mayhew said she struggled so violently with two officers that reinforcements had to be called. It took five officers to restrain her due to her strength. “It was a sustained resistance of these officers which required her to be handcuffed and eventually leg restraints were put on her to end her continually lashing out and kicking at officers,” he said.

The officers suffered only cuts and grazes. Julia Russell, defending, said Dixon had an “unenviable” record. “She comes across as a violent aggressive person because of her antecedent history. But she is a very kind, caring, trustworthy and intelligent young lady.” She said Dixon has a “negative” view of police because of her family history.

But Miss Russell said several people hold her “in high regard” as she has done so well on her probation order, including the homeless charity Cyrenians and agencies working with young offenders. The court heard she was made a mentor to help other youngsters.

 

Miss Russell said: “I personally can’t speak highly enough about this young lady, who is ashamed that she found herself in front of the court and if she is going to go on helping young offenders she needs to be out in the public eye.”

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