A 54-year-old Gloucester woman drove off at speed through Gloucester city centre with three police cars in pursuit after she had assaulted a traffic warden who was booking her for a parking offence, a jury heard on Monday (June 27).

Caroline Palmer of Marlstone Close managed to shake off the police and escape but was later arrested when her Volvo convertible car registration was traced to her home address, Gloucester Crown Court was told.

During the chase she had driven on the wrong side of the road, in a bus lane, and gone through a red light, the jury heard.

Palmer has been declared mentally unfit to stand trial on charges of assault and dangerous driving and the jury is being asked to decide simply whether she did do the acts alleged but not whether she is guilty or not guilty.

The judge, Recorder Richard Stead, explained to the jury of seven women and five men that two consultant psychiatrists have agreed she is unfit for trial, which is why she is sitting at the back of the courtroom and not in the dock as a defendant usually would.

"She therefore cannot be tried on the two charges of assaulting a traffic warden and driving dangerously," he said. "The jury's task is to establish if she did the alleged acts or not.

"You are not being asked to find her guilty or not guilty of a criminal conviction, but to engage in this fact-finding hearing."

Prosecutor Simon Goodman told the jury "The first incident occurred at the transport hub in Gloucester on January 3, 2021, at about 4.30pm when Palmer is alleged to have assaulted Stephen Tierney, a civil enforcement officer - a role more commonly referred to as a traffic warden.

"Mr Tierney engages with Palmer when she parked her Volvo c70 convertible in a drop off zone and is warned that she can only stay for 10 minutes.

"But when he returns a few minutes later she is still in the drop off zone and he informs her that she had exceeded the time limit and begins to take photographs of the vehicle before writing out a parking ticket.

"Palmer then gesticulates at Mr Tierney and waves him away, but he pushes her back placing his hand on her jaw as she spits at him. This then turns into a scuffle during which she swears constantly at him and makes derogatory remarks towards him.

"Two bus drivers and a couple of other people pull Palmer away by her legs and she falls to the ground.

"Once she calms down and stands up, Palmer then launches herself at Mr Tierney. But as she attempts to drive off, she throws a full water bottle in anger at Mr Tierney. Both incidents are considered as assaults.

"Palmer returns a few minutes later to the drop off zone, facing in the opposite direction, just as the police arrive to question her.

"Palmer then drives off on the wrong side of the road manoeuvring herself around a police car and into a bus lane."

The jury was then shown CCTV footage which Mr Goodman said showed Palmer driving away from the transport hub around a number of side streets until she reached Eastgate Street.

"Palmer is unaware that the police are following her.

"But when the police activated the blue lights and sirens, she speeds up and ends up with three police vehicles in pursuit. Palmer travels down Barton Street at speed and she goes through a red light at the junction with Derby Road.

"The police, with sirens blaring and blue lights flashing to alerting motorists of their position, also go through the red light but soon abandon the pursuit as they lose Palmer."

The jury was told that the police then went to the registered keeper's address in Marlstone Close and found the car outside the property and arrested the driver.

The trial continues.