Image caption The random assault took place at Callender Street in Belfast in May 2017

A teenager who knocked a woman out before biting police officers' arms has been jailed.

Courtney McCann kicked and punched the victim during the random assault at Callender Street in Belfast city centre.

The 19-year-old heroin addict also bit and spat in the face of police officers who attended the scene in May last year.

One officer had to have two courses of antibiotic treatment for his injuries.

District Judge Fiona Bagnall sentenced McCann, of The Mount in east Belfast, to eight months in jail.

'Spat in the face'

In a separate incident the teenager also lashed out at police amid a mass brawl in north Belfast earlier this month.

She admitted six assaults on police, two counts of disorderly behaviour, three assaults occasioning actual bodily harm, and resisting arrest.

A prosecution lawyer said McCann ran up to the woman on Callender Street, knocking her out with kicks and punches.

Amid attempts to detain her she bit and broke skin on the arms of two police officers, as well as dragging her nails on the hand of a third.

The prosecutor told the court she "spat in the face of an officer, with blood in the saliva".

McCann was also dealt with for a violent outburst on the New Lodge Road, north Belfast, on August 10 this year.

As disturbances broke out in the area, she was seen interfering with attempts to give first aid to a man.

'Damning indictment of her drug problems'

The court heard that despite being asked to calm down, she shouted abuse at police, kicked one officer in the leg and another in the groin.

Further attempts were made to bite and spit on police officers during that incident.

Defence barrister Michael Boyd said: "It's difficult to reconcile this deranged behaviour, which is the only way to describe the outline of the facts, with the placid girl at the back of the court."

He described his client's behaviour as a "damning indictment" of the extent of her drug problems.

"She can remember virtually nothing of the incidents, which shows the extent to which she was under the influence of substances," Mr Boyd added.

"She has had terrible problems, particularly with heroin, which has wiped out the last few years of her life."

Jailing McCann for eight months, District Judge Fiona Bagnall cited her history of violence and the seriousness of the offences.

She told the court: "There was a random attack on a member of the public who was put down on the ground and kicked - that can only have one outcome."