A violent mum who spat in the faces of supermarket staff and police officers has been jailed.

The PCs targeted by Sarah Cooper said they were “disgusted” at being exposed to the risk of Covid-19 while arresting her in Ramsgate in July last year.

One store worker said he also felt a “a good deal of worry” while waiting to hear if he was infected.

Cooper, 42, pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and two counts of assault by beating.

She was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on Wednesday to 17 months in prison.

Cooper barged into Asda in Ramsgate, where she is under a lifetime ban, and squared up with two staff members.

She hit one in the face and barged her into shopping baskets, then attacked the other and spat in his face.

PC Christopher Chapman and PC Alison McCarthy arrested Cooper, but she spat in their faces and kicked PC McCarthy.

The court heard both officers were “disgusted they were spat on, the pandemic making it all the more worrying”.

Kerry Waite, mitigating, told Judge Simon James that Cooper was addressing alcoholism and should be given “an opportunity with the progress she has been making”.

“She has been blighted by addiction to alcohol, which accounts for much of her behaviour,” he said.

“In a state of intoxication, not remembering she was barred from that store, and feeling she was going about her lawful business, she felt like she was being stigmatised and being treated unfairly.”

But sentencing Cooper, Judge James told her deterrent sentences are needed to help protect key workers.

“Those serving the public in the pandemic are entitled to look to the courts for protection from assault, and in the current climate spitting in someone’s face is a serious matter which can only attract an immediate custodial sentence,” he said.

Cooper, formerly of Newcastle Hill, Ramsgate, pleaded guilty to all charges at a previous hearing.

She was also sentenced for previous matters of assault by beating, criminal damage and breach of a suspended sentence order.

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