Woman had knife outside police station (From Worcester News)

Woman had knife outside police station

12:30pm Sunday 13th January 2013 in News By James Connell

AN AUTISTIC woman with a history of harassing police has been hanging around police stations with a knife.

Victoria Cartmel, aged 25, of Berill Close, Droitwich, admitted two counts of possession of a bladed article in a public place and one of attempted criminal damage on police cars when she appeared before magistrates in Worcester.

Cartmel was spotted by an officer in Nine Foot Way near Droitwich Police Station on September 5.

Matt Dodson, prosecuting, said the officer asked her to leave but she returned in the evening and was approached by officers.

She punched out at police vehicles which led to a charge of attempted criminal damage, Mr Dodson said.

On November 13, she was again found in possession of a bladed article in Nine Foot Way. Cartmel was spotted in the road and an officer saw that she appeared to be swapping items from one arm to the other.

Mr Dodson said: “She initially denied having a blade. She then said she had it in her possession but could not say why.”

Cartmel was arrested again close to Longbridge Police Station on December 10 when she was seen trying to hide from police in a garden. Officers again found her with a knife.

Cartmel has 24 offences against her, including three previous convictions for possession of a bladed article.

Gary Harper, defending, said Cartmel has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of high-functioning autism.

He said: “She had the blade for self-harm. She wasn’t intending to use them against anyone else. She finds police stations to be a place of safety.

”The police don’t understand or aren’t willing to understand that.”

Cartmel was given a 12-month community order to run concurrently with an existing community order.

The new order said she would also need 12 months of supervision and a support plan from Rainbow Autism should be followed.

She was ordered to pay £20 each for the costs of each charge. That will be added to her fines and be paid by an attachment to benefits.