Lauren Higgins, a young Belfast woman who spat blood on police officers and claimed he had hepatitis, is jailed

Lauren Higgins, 24, also bit another police officer on the arm during another outbreak of violence at a hospital.

University Avenue resident Higgins had 26 prior convictions for assaulting police before the latest attacks.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard she was arrested on March 11 last year for shouting and causing riots outside Woodbourne Court in the west of the city.

She then became increasingly volatile, targeting a female police officer and two male colleagues who tried to take her into custody.

Higgins kicked one officer in the chest and spat blood on the other two.

“She threatened them that she had hepatitis C,” said a Crown Counsel.

Higgins was arrested again after an incident in the early hours of June 12 this year.

Police found her in the Fitzroy Avenue area, bleeding from her nose and in an incomprehensible condition, and decided to take her to the Royal Victoria Hospital.

While driving, she bit a police officer on the arm, breaking through the skin with her teeth.

At the hospital, Higgins had to be held down for nurses to treat her, but she struck out again, attempting to hit the police officers who had accompanied her.

After being placed on a bed, she kicked two officers in the head and chest and spat on one of them.

Higgins pleaded guilty to six counts of assaulting police and two counts of disorderly conduct.

A defense lawyer said Higgins was in a distressed state, but admitted she was “appalled” when police intervened.

“She has expressed her sympathy to the officers,” he added.

Citing her prior convictions of 84 convictions, including 26 prior assaults on police, District Judge Ted Magill sentenced her to a total of six months in prison.

He told Higgins, “This behavior is totally unacceptable, but you keep doing it.”