Woman Spits on Charity Shop Manager, Gets Community Service

Larne resident ordered to pay £300 compensation

A Larne woman has been sentenced to 100 hours of community service for a “disgusting” incident where she spat in the face of a charity shop manager.

Assault and Damage Charge

Imelda Collins, of Greenway in Larne, pleaded guilty to common assault and attempting to cause criminal damage to a glass cabinet at a NI Hospice Charity shop. The court heard on Thursday that the incident occurred on March 4.

Courtroom Proceedings

Prosecution lawyers informed Ballymena Magistrates Court that Collins had entered the shop claiming police were pursuing her and requested to hide. The manager refused, despite Collins having previously worked at the location.

“The manager in the shop asked her to leave and refused to let her hide inside,”

—Prosecuting Lawyer

The lawyer further stated that Collins “spat on the manager and threw items over the shop.” When asked by District Judge Nigel Broderick about the spittle, the prosecuting lawyer confirmed it landed “In the lady’s face.”

Defence Mitigation

Defence counsel Thomas McKeever acknowledged that the police were not, in fact, searching for Collins. He described his client as “a vulnerable lady” and emphasized her early guilty pleas.

“She is a vulnerable lady,”

—Thomas McKeever, Defence Counsel

Mr. McKeever suggested that Collins did not intentionally spit but that it may have occurred due to close proximity while she was shouting.

Judge’s Remarks and Sentence

“It is quite disgusting to spit in anyone’s face,” Judge Broderick told Collins, “you wouldn’t like it if someone walked in through that door and spat in your face.”

—District Judge Nigel Broderick

The judge imposed the community service order, stating it was “rather than sending you to prison.” In addition to the community service and £300 compensation, a two-year restraining order was also put in place.

Contextual Information

Reports indicate that incidents of spitting on essential workers, particularly in retail settings, saw a concerning rise during the COVID-19 pandemic. A 2021 study by the Federation of Small Businesses found that nearly half of small business owners experienced increased aggression from customers, with spitting being a reported behaviour.