A WOMAN has been charged with a string of offences after two police officers were hospitalised in a row over a bowl of nachos at a pub in Orford.

Gemma Dunn has been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent to resist arrest, actual bodily harm, criminal damage and a public order offence following the incident at the Stonemill on Sandy Lane West on Thursday, February 21.

The 34-year-old, from Orford, appeared at Chester Magistrates Court on Saturday, February 23, to face these charges.

She is now due to appear before Liverpool Crown Court next month and has been remanded into custody until that date.

It is alleged that Dunn, of Greenwood Crescent, bit one police officer and pulled the hair of another during the incident at around 7.30pm on the evening in question.

Two policewomen were treated in hospital following the incident, with one suffering a head injury and the other sustaining an injury to the hand.

The officer who suffered a hand injury was released shortly after the incident while the other policewoman was only released from hospital last night, Sunday.

Eyewitnesses reported that a woman was asked to leave the pub after a row with staff concerning a bowl of nachos escalated.

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A heavy police presence was also seen in the area.

Warrington’s police chief inspector Simon Meegan has spoken out over a ‘spate’ of assault on officers in the town – with six attacked during four separate incidents over the same number of days between Sunday, February 17, and Thursday, February 21.

Warrington Guardian:

Chief inspector Simon Meegan

In total, four female officers suffered injuries that required hospital treatment – including a policewoman who was assaulted on two separate occasions.

The two other injured officers suffered head and arm injuries and a serious hand injury respectively - with the latter requiring ongoing medical treatment.

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Chief inspector Simon Meegan said: “The nature of policing inevitably requires officers to deal with violent and challenging situations but, regardless of the situation, being assaulted by a member of the public we serve should never be seen as an acceptable part of the job.

“To assault a police officer or any other emergency service worker is to attack society itself and assaulting an emergency service worker is now an offence that is punishable by up to 12 months in prison.

“The spate of police officer assaults in Warrington - seven in four days - is completely unacceptable and a worry for both my staff and the community itself, as officers being taken off the streets through being injured by members of the public impacts on the level of service we can provide.

“When officers are assaulted it has a far wider effect than people may think - the officer may have to take time off work or be placed on restricted duties whilst they recover.

“Such absences and restrictions have a significant impact on the resourcing of incidents and the service we provide to the community.

“They increase pressures on other officers too, due to the additional responsibilities they have to take on to ensure that we meet the needs of the public.

“Assaults also often cause distress to family members, particularly when the officer suffers psychological or visible physical injuries.”

Four people were arrested in relation to these incidents - with three having been charged the other having been released on conditional bail pending further enquiries.