Bainsford bail breach drama: TV reality star jailed after scratching police officer with a syringe needle

Kerry McMurray, 35, was arrested at the time while in the home of her female partner in David’s Loan, Bainsford.

At Falkirk Sheriff Court on Tuesday, procurator fiscal depute James Moncrieff said police had attended the property on May 5 with a warrant recalling McMurray to

prison for breaching her bail conditions."Her partner allowed them entry,” said Mr Moncrieff. “And after a search, McMurray was discovered underneath the sofa. The sofa was overturned and the officers

placed hands on her to effect arrest.

"McMurray had an uncapped needle, which she was asked to drop. She didn't. She was eventually restrained on the ground, but during the course of the struggle one

of the officers received a scratch from the needle on his arm."

As a result the officer had to have a blood test and would require a second test in September (2023) to ensure he had not picked up any blood-borne infection, the court heard.

Mr Moncrieff said the wait for the second test "obviously brought stresses".

McMurray, appearing from custody by video link, had pleaded guilty to behaving recklessly and exposing the police officer to the risk of infection by failing to surrender

the needle.Andrew Iles, defence solicitor, said McMurray had realised she was going to be returned to prison when she heard the police at the door and had hidden under the sofa

in order to inject herself with cocaine to ease her transition back to custody.

He said: "She had been released on parole in September of last year, initially well supported. She was living with her partner, whom she'd formed a relationship with

while in custody, but unfortunately this relationship turned into mutual drug dependence, and essentially that was why she was recalled.

"When the officers arrived she initially tried to disguise where she was in the room by hiding under the couch and she injected cocaine at that point because she

anticipated being returned to custody and her thinking was that this would assist her with the early part of that process.

"It was a chaotic scene. There was a lot of noise and energy. It all happened very quickly. Initially she was trying to hide the needle, and as she was grabbed, this

officer was injured."He added that McMurray had no illnesses or infections that would raise any long term concerns.

"She is in rude health," he said.

Sheriff Craig Harris sentenced McMurray to 12 months in prison, to be served concurrent with the sentence Murray had been recalled to serve, for which her earliest

date of release is October 25, 2024.

He told her: "The legislation that applies in your case prohibits me from imposing a consecutive sentence. Had it been within my power, I would have. You have a

significant record for violence, and that includes the offence for which you were being returned to prison at the time of this offence.

"This offence involved resisting arrest, and as a result causing the officer to be stabbed by the needle. No police officer should ever be placed in that position.

"The officer will have been exposed to considerable stress."