Rebecca Woods, 59, brought a trailer of hives to the home of an elderly friend undergoing cancer treatment in Longmeadow, near Springfield, Massachusetts. She told a district court she had hoped to prevent the eviction – though she initially claimed she had simply wanted the bees to enjoy the surrounding landscape.

Deputies arriving to serve papers were met with swarms after Woods lifted the lids of several hives. Officers were stung on the head and face, and one required hospital treatment, according to reports. Around 1,000 bees also died, some crushed as hives toppled during a struggle with officers, while others perished after stinging.

Footage captured deputies shouting warnings as the insects dispersed. Woods, who was wearing protective gear, was wrestled to the ground and arrested.

The court heard she was warned that some officers were allergic, to which she replied: “Oh, you’re allergic? Good!”

Her lawyer, Mary Saldarelli, said the remark was made “under duress” and argued Woods had acted out of sympathy, having experienced eviction herself. “It really was just a sincere hope that he would not suffer the humiliation and devastation of going through an eviction, of losing your home,” she said.

A jury acquitted Woods of seven felonies but convicted her of four misdemeanour counts of assault and battery and two of reckless assault. She is appealing.