February 10, 2020 4.51 pm This story is over 49 months old

Woman threatened to shoot police and assaulted fellow prisoner

She has been jailed

Jessica Fitzgerald has been jailed. Photo: Humberside Police

A Grimsby woman who threatened to shoot police officers with an imitation firearm and assaulted a fellow prisoner has been sentenced to five years in jail.

Jessica Fitzgerald, 27, from Crosby Road in Grimsby made threats to shoot officers as they arrived to locate a missing girl at her address.

When police carried out a search for the missing girl on Sunday, February 24, 2019, she produced a rifle and aimed it at unarmed officers who had to retreat. They then had to call in armed officers.

She also threw a table at a fellow prisoner, resulting in the victim receiving 15 stitches to her head.

Fitzgerald was handed a five year prison sentence for pointing the imitation firearm at police and the GBH assault, which was committed while she was on remand in prison.

Wayne Martin, Detective Constable at Humberside Police, said: “When our officers arrived at the address we were looking for a 16-year-old missing girl that we believed was in the house.

“After an hour of negotiation from the street, Jessica Fitzgerald had previously made threats to officers and the sound of a firearm discharge was heard, armed officers then entered the address.

“Armed officers quickly entered the address where they found Jessica Fitzgerald had barricaded herself into a room.

“The officers broke down the door and arrested Ms Fitzgerald who was later charged with possession of an imitation firearm and assaulting a police officer.

“The sentencing today (on February 10) reflects the serious nature of the offences. Our officers come to work to protect the public and deal with those who chose live outside the law. I am pleased to know that Jessica Fitzgerald will no longer be posing a risk to either the public or the police.”