She smashed glass front door of Leicester Crown Court following binge

A woman with a history of damaging property took a hammer and smashed a Crown Court's front door 'on impulse' - but still avoided jail.

Susan Bosworth, 51, had drunk 11 cans of beer when she armed herself with the weapon and smashed the glass windows of the building 'on impulse'.

Bosworth, who has 178 previous offences and a reputation for damaging property, was spotted taking deliberate strokes to break the panes at 3am on September 15.

Susan Bosworth, 51, had drunk 11 cans of beer when she armed herself with the weapon and smashed the glass windows of Leicester Crown Court (pictured) 'on impulse'

She admitted causing £1,650 damage and was ordered to pay £500 compensation to the court and was put on curfew between 9pm and 6am for one month.

But Bosworth, of West End, Leicester, avoided jail at Leicester Magistrates Court on Friday.

District Judge Sally Fudge said the attack was aggravated as it was on a public building and urged Bosworth to work with an alcohol abuse scheme and mental health team.

Prosecutor Omar Majid said: 'She told the police that she had an impulsive desire to smash something.

'She had been drinking all day and drunk 11 cans. She dressed in dark clothing and a dark baseball cap.

'She was seen to take repeated and deliberate stroke with the hammer.'

Mr Majid said Bosworth had 58 previous convictions involving 178 offences, many of which involved criminal damage and the consumption of alcohol.

Bosworth, who has 178 previous offences and a reputation for damaging property, was spotted taking deliberate strokes to break the panes at 3am on September 15

She had been sent to prison in the past and Mr Majid added that she was in breach of a conditional discharge for an earlier criminal damage conviction.

Steve Morris, defending, said: 'I have known the defendant for many years. She does act impulsively. She has been diagnosed with a personality disorder.

'When she received a sentence at the old court she climbed the clock tower at the Town Hall and threatened to throw herself off.

'A similar event happened at the Crown Court building where she threatened to throw herself off the top.'