A Hatfield woman was sent to prison after she lunged at a police officer with a knife.

Richards Street resident Yasaman Rashidi, 31, previously pleaded guilty to attempting to unlawfully and maliciously wound with intent to resist arrest following the incident on August 16 last year.

Prosecuting barrister Terence Woods said that officers went to Rashidi’s property to arrest her after she allegedly failed to appear at court.

After abusing them on the phone and refusing to open the door, one of the officers knelt down and started trying to get in.

“The door was flung open by the defendant and she lunged at that police officer with a knife in her hand,” Mr Woods said. “He put up his arm to protect himself.

“It’s believed the knife cut the back of his hand causing a superficial injury.”

Rashidi then attempted to get back inside the property but officers forced their way in and arrested her.

The court heard that the 31-year-old had numerous convictions dating back to 2008 – including six incidents of assaulting police officers – one of which involved spitting in one’s face and throwing food at another.

During sentencing, judge Stephen Warner told Rashidi of the police officer’s ordeal in this incident, when she interrupted and said “I wish he was dead”.

The judge told her: “He was trying to do his job and was placed at serious risk by what you did.”

Rashidi then interrupted again saying “bulls***, bulls***”.

Defending barrister Matthew Dance told the judge that Rashidi had expressed remorse to him, and said in respect to allegedly failing to appear at court, she had attended but was turned away.

He said that Rashidi, who came to Britain from Iran when she was three, had a difficult upbringing and there was “fragility concerning her mental health”.

He also said she had an emotionally unstable personality disorder that could have impacted her behaviour on the day.

Having been remanded in custody since the attack, the Hatfield resident has got a prison job and completed courses.

Judge Warner said he accepted Rashidi did not intend to cause serious harm, although there was a very real risk of it, but said racial abuse involved made the incident worse.

Rashidi was sentenced to two years and seven months in prison.