A WOMAN banned from Coles at Charlestown who spat in the face of an employee who was trying to remove her from the store ironically said later that she was worried the supermarket worker was not keeping a safe distance and as a result feared she might contract COVID-19.
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Jozy-Ann Hurley, 52, was represented by solicitor Donna Smith when she appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday.
Police said Ms Hurley was banned from Coles at Charlestown Square after a verbal altercation with staff over the weekend.
She returned to the store about 5pm on Tuesday and allegedly became aggressive towards staff when she was asked to leave.
Ms Hurley allegedly verbally abused and threatened a 46-year-old male staff member before punching him in the chest and spitting in his face, police said.
A male security guard, 33, intervened and was allegedly abused and slapped in the face.
Police arrested Ms Hurley at the store and she was charged with two counts of common assault.
She appeared in Newcastle Local Court in handcuffs on Wednesday where she pleaded guilty to one count of common assault relating to spitting in the staff member's face, but pleaded not guilty to the second count relating to slapping the security guard.
Ms Hurley did not apply for bail and the matter was adjourned until Thursday so police could provide Ms Hurley's legal representatives with CCTV footage of the altercation.
At the time of the ugly supermarket incident, Ms Hurley had a warrant out for her arrest after she failed to appear in Toronto Local Court on March 13 for a hearing in relation to four domestic violence related offences.