Two women have been jailed for a total of a year and six months after attacking officers trying to break up an illegal house party in Eastbourne.
Police said it's after reports of a gathering in breach of the government's Covid-19 restrictions in Edgeland Terrace, at around 9.45pm on April 8.
Upon arrival at the address, officers were faced with verbal abuse and threatened with being deliberately exposed to Covid-19 by two women now known to be Bayleigh Meadows (pictured right) and Millie Robinson (pictured left).
Officers said the tried to engage with Meadows and Robinson and encourage them to break up the gathering, but both continued to behave aggressively, threatening to assault police.
As officers tried to restrain Robinson, she kicked out multiple times, making contact with an officer's chest and upper legs.
Moments later, one of the officers restraining Robinson was hit around the head with a metal toilet roll holder by Meadows, causing an injury that required hospital treatment.
Additional officers attended the scene and helped arrest Meadows and Robinson.
Robinson, 21, unemployed of Edgeland Terrace, Eastbourne, pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting an emergency worker when she appeared at Lewes Crown Court on May 11.
On June 12, she was sentenced to six months' imprisonment.
Meadows, 21, unemployed, of Lottbridge Drove, Eastbourne, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm when she appeared at Lewes Crown Court on May 11.
On June 12, she was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment.
PC Carl Smith said:
"The verbal and physical abuse our officers were faced with in this situation was absolutely disgraceful.
"This happened during the height of the coronavirus lockdown period, when officers were continuing to do their job in challenging circumstances, focusing on talking to people and explaining the regulations in order for people to keep themselves safe.
"To be met with such violence is completely unacceptable, and we hope this sentencing will send a message that assaults against emergency workers will not be tolerated."
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