Last chance for woman obsessed with police (From Worcester News)

Last chance for woman obsessed with police

3:00am Saturday 20th March 2010 in

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A WOMAN with an “unhealthy obsession” with police officers has been given one final chance to avoid prison.

Victoria Cartmel spent months pestering police officers based at Droitwich police station, hanging around outside the station in Ombersley Street East and making prank 999 calls.

The 22-year-old was cautioned, charged with harassment and made subject to a restraining order but continued to hound the officers.

Earlier this month Cartmel, who was described as naive and easily-led, found herself back at Worcester Magistrates Court after breaching the restraining order, using threatening words and behaviour towards the officers and making ‘silent’ 999 telephone calls.

Mark Johnson, prosecuting, told the court Cartmel had become obsessed with the police officers and had a compulsion to pester them.

He said: “There was one police officer in particular who she seemed to focus on. It began in March 2009 when there was a caution for harassment.”

As a result of the caution Cartmel lost her job. A few months later she moved out of her parents’ home and into a Droitwich bed-sit. The bench then heard how Cartmel befriended a man, already well known to the local police, who encouraged her behaviour.

That man was present when Cartmel made 999 calls and on the day she breached the restraining order. It was when police attempted to arrest him, that she started using threatening words and behaviour.

Jason Patel, defending, said the man had physically pushed Cartmel onto Nine Foot Way – the street that her restraining order forbid her to go on – on the day she breached the order.

Mr Patel said: “She didn’t understand at the time, but she can now see how her behaviour prevented the police from attending other emergencies.”

He said that a week in custody while on remand had terrified Cartmel, currently living with friends in Cranham Drive, Warndon, Worcester, into changing her attitude.

“She now has an opportunity to be rehabilitated,” said Mr Patel.

“Her parents have agreed that she can move back home and they are offering their support to help her through this. If she chooses not to take it then she’s sealing her own fate.

“And that fate is Eastwood Park prison.”

Cartmel was sentenced to four months in prison suspended for 12 months. She was fined a total of £125 and ordered to pay court costs of £135.

The restraining order was made tougher and now prohibits her from entering Nine Foot Way, Ombersley Street East and Heritage Way in Droitwich, as well all West Mercia Police car parks.