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King’s Lynn woman Deimante Zigmantiene claims ‘panic attack’ caused her to break the inside handle of a police car and assault officer

By Alice Hobbs

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alice.hobbs@iliffepublishing.co.uk

Published: 06:00, 06 October 2025

A woman who used “heavy force” to break the inside handle of a police car claimed she was having a panic attack.

Deimante Zigmantiene, 37, of Frieston in Fairstead, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to criminal damage and assaulting an officer.

Prosecutor Jodin Gherra said the Lithuanian national was being arrested for a separate matter on April 6 this year, but on the way to the station, she started shouting and screaming.

Deimante Zigmantiene broke the handle of a police car and assaulted an officerDeimante Zigmantiene broke the handle of a police car and assaulted an officer
Deimante Zigmantiene broke the handle of a police car and assaulted an officer

Officers asked her to calm down, at which point she removed her seat belt, saying she “couldn’t breathe” and refusing to put it back on.

Police were forced to pull over, and Zigmantiene requested that they open the window more, but they said no.

The defendant then used “heavy force” on the door handle, and police heard a snap as it broke.

When searched at the station, Zigmantiene would not remove her jewellery, and as one officer took hold of her wrist to lead her to a cell, she swung round and grabbed them back, leaving a scratch.

In the courtroom, solicitor George Sorrell said that the defendant was “very intoxicated” at the time and could not remember exactly what happened.

But Zigmantiene stood up in disagreement, and through her translator talked over Mr Sorrell to say she “remembers everything”.

Mr Sorrell withdrew himself from the case, sat back, arms folded, and left the defendant to represent herself for the rest of the hearing.

Zigmantiene said she was “under a lot of stress” and was having a “panic attack” during her arrest.

“I was speaking quite loudly, but I was not shouting,” she claimed.

“I wasn’t trying to break the handle or damage it on purpose. It just broke so easily.”

She added that she was “really sorry” for assaulting the officer.

Magistrates handed her a number of fines, including £120 for the assault, a £48 victim surcharge, £85 in court costs, £50 in compensation to the officer and a further £274.93 for the broken handle.

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Courts Crime Kings Lynn Alice Hobbs

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Source: www.lynnnews.co.uk