A WOMAN who shouted 'bang, bang' at blinded PC David Rathband while making a gun gesture has been spared jail.
Kelsey Donkin, 22, of Goschen Street, Sunderland, admitted a charge of disorderly conduct over the incident, which happened during the trial of Raoul Moat's accomplices Karl Ness and Qhuram Awan in March.
She appeared at Newcastle Magistrates' Court today dressed in a white sequinned top, black leggings and a denim waistcoat where she was given a 12 month community order with 12 month's supervision.
She was also ordered to pay court costs of £105.
District judge Stephen Earl told Donkin: "There will be a number of people who will believe there is one way to deal with people who can be so horrible to a public servant and would send them away as though they are dangerous criminals.
"There will be other people who think that is over the top.
"The truth of the matter is that a public servant lost his sight defending the public because that is what he was paid to do and that is what he was doing at the time.
"He was tragically blinded, as we all know.
"To make fun of such an incident is a mark of immaturity and pathetic juvenile behaviour.
"It cannot be put in any other way."
The judge added: "However, you are not a dangerous criminal, you did a very foolish thing on that day.
"I'm satisfied that you do demonstrate remorse and I'm satisfied that custody is not the answer."
PC Rathband, 43, who was shot and blinded by Moat, was on his way into court when Donkin made a shooting gesture at him and was spotted by those accompanying him to court.
Robin Palmer, his public relations officer who was with him at the time of the incident said in his statement to police: "David said to me 'did they say what I think they said?'
"I turned around and I saw the female quite clearly making the gesture of holding a gun in her hands.
"It was clear to me that she was making the gesture of a gun or more to the point a shotgun or rifle."
She was arrested as she sat outside a court on the fourth floor of the building waiting for a different case.
PC Rathband said he had been left "deeply hurt and upset" by the incident.
At an earlier hearing this week, prosecutor Paul Clarke, read his victim impact statement to the court.
It said: "I feel sick at the though of someone saying 'bang bang' behind my back.
"This is the first time I have encountered any maliciousness or animosity towards me.
"She said she wasn't aiming at myself but I think she was.
"I feel hurt and upset.
"This has caused me great distress I was deeply hurt."
PC Rathband went on to describe that he felt "sick to the stomach" as he sat in the courtroom listening to the trial of the incidents that lead to him being blinded "knowing that she found it funny".
Donkin initially denied the offence, telling police officers that she had been trying to "get the attention of a friend" and that the gesture was not aimed at PC Rathband.
Speaking outside the magistrates' court on Monday, when Donkin pleaded guilty, PC Rathband said: "I hope that she'll realise one day that her little joke not only had a devastating effect on me but my wife and children too."
PC Rathband did not attend the sentencing hearing today.
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