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A Plymouth woman was fined £1 for assaulting a police officer and using racial abuse on the same day.

Kayleigh Thornton, aged 31, appeared at Plymouth Crown Court for sentencing after admitting to the offences that took place on February 2.

Judge Paul Darlow, heard how the mother-of-three spat in a police officer's face and was racially abusive to police and paramedics.

In mitigation, Thornton's advocate Nick Lewin said the incident took place just a matter of weeks after a fire at her home, which destroyed everything she and her three children owned.

On the day of the incident Thornton had gone for a drink and a takeaway with her sister, before her sister's ex-partner turned up and began to make demands. Police were then called and Thornton's "kettle boiled over".

He said it resulted in an "extremely ugly incident, witnessed by her children" who were aged seven, six and two years old.

Mr Lewin noted how Thornton had come from "a family of alcoholics" and had herself battled the booze.

He said the incident, for which she felt "insanely guilty" had highlighted her own issues with alcohol and she had since vowed not to allow herself to go down the same road. He said she had referred herself to MIND and sought help from a tenancy group to secure her own home.

Thornton of Salisbury Road, was handed two 13-weeks jail sentences to run consecutively, but suspended for two years.

For the offence of racially aggravated harassment he fined her £1, but ordered her to pay £400 compensation to the officer she attacked within the next three months.

Judge Darlow said: “You have a poor record of assault."

He noted how the offences represented "prolonged and sustained abusive and violent behaviour towards a particular police officer who was doing no more than trying to do his duty.”

He told Thornton that he would reserve any breaches of the sentence to himself and advised her that it would be her decision if they met again in court and suggested that if that occurred, she would leave the court via the door that led to the cells.