Hep C woman guilty

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15 December 2006

Hep C woman guilty

A WOMAN with hepatitis C admitted battering a woman unconscious in a Lerwick house, assaulting three policemen and spitting on a doctor in a dramatic twist to her jury trial on Friday.Fiona Maureen Manson, 34, resident in Cornton Vale Prison, brought the third day of proceedings to an abrupt halt when she changed her plea to guilty after the thirteenth and final Crown witness had testified against her.Jury members were outside the court having coffee when Manson suddenly ceased contesting the assaults.The jury had to be called in to be told that their time on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday had been for nothing and they would not be called upon to weigh up the evidence and deliver a verdict.The Sheriff said that while they might feel disappointed or relieved at the unexpected turn of events, it was every person's right to have the evidence against them heard in court, although, by not pleading guilty, Manson forfeited her right to any discount on her sentence.With the case over, procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie revealed that Manson, formerly of Road, Lerwick, had previous convictions, including her first for assault in 1999 and a 14-month sentence one year ago for serious assault after biting a man's ear at a nightclub when he declined to dance with her. She also spat on a policeman.She was released at the end of April after serving half the sentence, two-and-a-half months before she reoffended.On Friday she was remanded in custody again until next Wednesday when updated background reports will be ready for consideration. Sheriff Napier told her she faced a lengthy period in prison.During the previous two days the court heard that Manson abused and spat on Dr Russon at the Lerwick Health Centre on 18th July after he refused her a sick note, telling her it was not required for a one-day absence.It was only when the doctor researched the dangers of contracting the often-fatal hep C virus that he learnt of new research showing that it is rarely caught from saliva. He will find out if he gets the all-clear when tested next month.The following month, on 19th August, Manson attacked Jill Newman after going along her house with a carryout. When she was told repeatedly to leave she punched and kicked Miss Newman to the living room floor, briefly rendering her unconscious. She also stamped on her head and body, causing severe injury and damaging Miss Newman's right hand.After police arrested her she kicked and abused them and spat on another officer in a cell.Manson had told officers that Miss Newman started the assault and she had retaliated.

http://www.shetlandtoday.co.uk/Shetlandtimes/content_details.asp?ContentID=20952The case is apparently attracting considerable interest in ish legal circles because of Manson's unusual approach. A legal source said it was very rare not to have a solicitor for a jury trial and rarer still for an accused not to provide a defence.Before the trial started on Wednesday it had looked like it might not go ahead at all. When Manson was brought to the dock in handcuffs by two Reliance guards she would not co-operate with the court. She said she had not been able to find a solicitor and declared herself "guilty but not guilty" to the charges against her, a plea which the Sheriff said he would record as "not guilty".Then she said she did not understand what it meant to be going to trial and, when asked if she was ready to proceed, responded: "Do I look blind? Do I look stupid?"She railed against court officials and the police to the extent that the Sheriff doubted her ability to stand trial and adjourned proceedings for several hours while a psychiatrist was called.The final witness, the only one on Friday, had been Lerwick Health Centre practice manager Sutherland. She told how Dr Russon had been flustered and in a very agitated state after being spat on by Manson during a consultation at the walk-in clinic.He had wet marks down his shirt, she said, and was not his usual quiet self, always smiling and cheery.She told the court that staff had to be very careful in dealing with patients with infectious diseases, particularly when carrying out procedures like taking blood.After giving her evidence the jury retired from the court while legal issues were discussed. While they were away the Sheriff tried to discuss whether Manson might wish to put forward a case for having some of the charges dismissed on grounds of insufficient evidence. The Crown voluntarily withdrew the first charge, which accused Manson of breach of the peace at the health centre.But Manson interjected: "To put it simply, I plead guilty to all the charges."