Anne McQuilter, 41, was jailed for seven years for the attack on PC Steven McCrone

A grandmother battered a policeman with his own truncheon, breaking his jaw, during a brawl at a family christening, a court heard.

Anne McQuilter was jailed for seven years for smashing the officer in the face with the baton, as he tried to break-up the alcohol fueled punch-up.

The mother-of-two launched the violent attack on police constable Steven McCrone after he dropped his truncheon during the fracas in Redcar, Teesside.

The 41-year-old later blamed the officer for his injuries, telling a probation worker, 'it was his own fault.'

Blonde-haired McQuilter was found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent on October 12, 2012, after a trial.

'The report makes it clear you think you had a right to do what you did,' said recorder David Dixon, as he jailed her at Teesside Crown Court.

'You did not. He was doing his job.'

Three co-defendants David Brotton, 32, Samantha Cooper, 25, and Paul Smith, 32, pleaded guilty to other charges arising from the disorder.

The court heard that Brotton and Cooper had christened their child earlier in the day, and ended up in the Stockton public house at around 11pm on October 21, 2012.

Smith was said to have started the trouble when he made lewd comments to a woman - which he described as 'flirting banter'.

Drinkers fled the pub as fighting erupted outside, which included Smith being grabbed by the throat and pinned against a wall by McQuilter's daughter.

When the officers arrived on the scene, Brotton repeatedly charged at PC McCrone 'like an animal', said the judge, and struggled as he was detained.

Brotton, who admitted a charge of affray, suffered a serious head injury which needed stitches in hospital.

Cooper, who pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive words or behaviour, claimed she was involved on the fringes of the trouble.

Smith, who also admitted using threatening or abusive words or behaviour, told the court that he was sorry for being the 'catalyst'.

It was said on behalf of McQuilter,of Castle Road, Redcar, that prison would cause severe problems for her family, who describe her as their 'lynchpin'.

'Her family are now the victims of her actions,' said Paul Abrahams, defending MCQuilter.

'They will be punished as a consequence and it is that, really, that is going to hurt her more.'

Recorder David Dixon sitting at Teesside Crown Court (pictured) said there seemed to be 'two sides' to McQuilter as he jailed her for seven years.

The court heard how the grandmother-of-two has convictions for affray in 2004, and violence in 2009, and cautions for threatening behaviour in 2000, and assault in 2008.

Mr Recorder Dixon told her: 'There seems to be two sides to you. I have seen plenty of references which describe you in glowing terms, matriarchal to the family, someone you can go to with any problem, and someone who works extremely hard.

'But when in drink, someone who loses their temper and someone who can behave in an appalling fashion.'

Brotton of Lime Road, Redcar, was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months with a three-month curfew and 180 hours' unpaid work; Cooper, also of Lime Road, Redcar was fined £250; and Smith of West Dyke Road, Redcar, was ordered to do 150 hours' unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order.

Investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Dave Smith, said: 'This is an example of the violence that officers can be faced with on a day-to-day basis whilst carrying out their duties in protecting the public.

'Anne McQuilter will now have to serve a lengthy prison sentence as a consequence of her violent behaviour after she fractured an officer's cheekbone by hitting him with a police baton.