Redbourn woman found guilty of assault after trapping security guard’s arm in car

A woman was found guilty of assault by beating on Thursday (4) after she trapped a security guard’s arm in her car and tried to drive off.

Katherine Ashworth, 38, of High Street, Redbourn, had stolen a number of items from Sainsbury’s in St Albans and got into her car to make off with the goods.

But a security guard attempted to stop her and asked her to hand over the goods before she drove off.

When she refused, the guard told the court that he put his arm inside open window of the car to retrieve them himself.

Ashworth then closed the window, trapping the man’s arm and began to drive off with the man’s arm stuck in the window.

He managed to free himself but sustained substantial bruising.

Ashworth, who pleaded not guilty at an earlier hearing, failed to turn up to court but the case proceeded in her absence and a warrant was issued.

The warrant was extended to all other cases involving Ashworth listed that day, which included a charge relating to being found in possession of two knives in June.

While on-duty in Hemel Hempstead, Pc Dale Jenkins, whose statement was read out in court, was called with a colleague to Marks & Spencer where Ashworth was thought to have shoplifted.

He said that she had two ‘bags for life’ and a handbag and while searching for the stolen goods, £365 of clothing, he found two kitchen knives, wire cutters and a multi-tool.

Ashworth had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge and her police statement said that she had used one for chopping vegetables at a friend’s house and another was a steak knife.

Other charges related to a number of theft offences and failing to surrender to police/court bail.