Sutton teen seriously injured police officer leaving her ‘in pain every day’

Zoe Johnstone was aged 17 when officers spotted her riding a bike on Welbeck Street after she failed to meet an 11pm curfew on September 24, last year, Mansfield Magistrates’ Court heard.

Becky Allsop, prosecuting, said the officers drove over to block her in and “she dropped the bike as though she couldn't be bothered to cycle off”, but became “verbally abusive”.

She kept shoving the officer, who told her: “I have had enough of your s***.”

As she was being put in the police car, Johnstone wriggled free and pushed the officer with “serious force”, so they both fell over.

She landed on top of the officer, who hit her elbow on the cobblestones, leaving her with a sprained ligament.

In a statement, the officer said: “I have been a police officer for six years and up until now I loved my job.”

But she now struggles with day-to-day activities, she said, is still in a great deal of pain and on restricted duties after two months off work.

She now has to consider coming off frontline duties, adding: “This has massively affected my life. I am in pain every day.”

Johnstone, now 18, of Forrest Road, Sutton, admitted assault causing grievous bodily harm.

Ian Pridham, mitigating, said Johnstone decided to plead guilty on a reckless basis as she did not intend to cause injury, but does accept responsibility.

Sentencing, District Judge Gilliam Young said it was “regrettable” the case did not reach court sooner, when she was a juvenile, as an adult sentence would now have to be considered.

She received a 12-month community order with 20 rehabilitation days.

The judge told her she will benefit from the rehabilitation “which might be the nearest thing to the referral order” she would have received if she had appeared in the youth courts.

Johnstone was also ordered to pay £150 compensation to the injured police officer.