Sad reason woman stole bus and went on 7-mile journey before spitting on cops

Daily Mirror

2 days ago

Shazma Ansar spat at three officers after stealing the bus and driving for seven miles, smashing into parked cars - a court heard she was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia
A knife-wielding woman stole a bus from an airport and took it on a seven-mile journey which ended in a smash with parked cars for a tragic reason. Shazma Ansar, 29, used the blade to threaten driver Mark Lewis and demanded he take her to London from Birmingham shortly after midnight.
He went to get police for support but found the bus had gone when he returned. But she was eventually arrested on St. Benedicts Road, Small Heath, after smashing into stationary cars and wedging the bus between vehicles when she was trying to turn around. In custody she also spat at three different officers.
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Birmingham Crown Court heard Ansar, previously from Shard End, suffered paranoid schizophrenia and had not been taking her medication at the time. On Wednesday she was sentenced to a hospital order with restrictions under the Mental Health Act, reports BirminghamLive.
She admitted threatening someone with a knife, aggravated vehicle taking, three charges of assaulting an emergency worker as well as driving without a licence and insurance.
Ansar had boarded the bus on Timberley Lane, Shard End, shortly after midnight on September 24 last year. She asked to go to Small Heath but when Mr Lewis said he was going to Birmingham Airport she agreed to go there instead.
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Prosecutor Sally Cairns said: "When they arrived the defendant was the only passenger. She lay down across the back seats. Mr Lewis drove the bus to a stand at Birmingham Airport and displayed the 'out of service' sign. He asked the defendant if she was going to leave. She demanded to be taken to London.
"Mr Lewis told her he couldn't do that, but he could take her back to where she got on. The defendant walked down the bus, close to the driver's side, with a kitchen knife in her hand. She said 'if you don't take me to London I will kill you', swearing at Mr Lewis."
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Mr Lewis agreed and convinced Ansar to let him go to the toilet. Instead, he alerted police at the airport but when they returned the bus had gone. It was next spotted on Coventry Road where Ansar turned off into St. Benedicts Road which had cars parked on either side.
Ms Cairns said: "As it drove down the bus clipped wing mirrors. The defendant turned left and tried to turn the rear of the bus. It collided with a parked car and pushed that car into another car. The defendant carried on driving dragging parked cars caught on the bus. She tried to manoeuvre the bus by doubled parked cars but the bus became lodged."
Police arrived to find Ansar beeping the horn, 'acting bizarrely' and 'asking for a Lamborghini'. She was arrested but later on that morning she spat in the face of a detention officer after asking to be let go. She also spat at two police constables after being taken to Sandwell Hospital having complained of chest pains.
Psychiatrists have confirmed she suffers from paranoid schizophrenia with symptoms including hearing voices and acting upon them, the court was told. Ansar is currently being treated at Chadwick Lodge secure mental health hospital in Milton Keynes.
Recorder Rebecca Wade agreed to the recommendation for a hospital order with restrictions, concluding Ansar had a 'lack of insight' into her mental illness and offending as well as taking into account her 'persistent history of none-compliance with treatment'.
She added she posed a risk of causing serious harm to the public if not detained.