Brighton University Lecturer Assaulted Police Officers (Yet Again)

A University of Brighton lecturer spat at police officers whilst claiming to have coronavirus, a court heard.

Jane Challenger-Gillitt, 55, of Roundhill Terrace, Brighton, admitted two charges of assault on an emergency worker when she appeared at Brighton Magistrates' Court on Thursday, 2nd April 2020.

Challenger-Gillitt, whose LinkedIn profile picture is shown above, has several relevant previous convictions, as described in The Argus' article.

The assault charges relate to an incident on the evening of Wednesday, 1st April 2020.

The computer, engineering and mathematics lecturer, who has worked at the University of Brighton for the last 22 years, turned nasty when police officers responded to reports of a disturbance at her home.

It is not entirely clear what happened, but District Judge Tessa Szagun, sentencing, described the assault on PCs Alexander Ferguson and Stuart Ellis as "particularly despicable".

It would appear that a drunken Challenger-Gillitt breathed in and spat at the officers, causing them to fear that they, and in turn their families, would become infected with coronavirus. The court heard that there is considerable pressure on police numbers in Brighton and Hove, with many officers currently off sick or self-isolating.

Judge Szagun noted that although the offences passed the custody threshold, the lecturer's personal circumstances made it appropriate to impose a suspended custodial sentence.

Challenger-Gillitt was sentenced to 26 weeks' custody suspended for 12 months, with 9 months' alcohol treatment requirement. She was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to each officer, £122 victim surcharge and £85 towards prosecution costs.

The University of Brighton confirmed that Challenger-Gillitt was still in employment and would be subject to further investigation.