Dawn Walker, 34, has a string of convictions for assaulting police during drunken foul-mouthed rampages but has been spared jail

An unemployed mother of three who has been told she treats the police like her 'personal punchbag' after assaulting a string of officers has been spared jail despite her eleventh violent attack.

Dawn Walker, 34, has a string of convictions for assaulting police during drunken foul-mouthed rampages - including four separate incidents on officers this year alone.

In the latest incident, she hurled a torrent of abuse at PC Thomas Cock, calling him a ' fat c***', a ' bearded c***' and a ' blue-eyed b******' before headbutting him in the face during a night out in Burnley, Lancashire.

In a separate attack earlier this year, she sank her teeth into another policeman's face and had to be restrained on her car bonnet by several officers.

Yet despite the violent attacks on police officers, the former cleaner - who claims employment support allowance - has repeatedly been spared jail after insisting she is striving to be a 'good role model' to her three children.

Appearing before Burnley Magistrates' Court over the latest attack, Walker, of Bacup, Lancashire, faced up to six months in jail after admitting assaulting police in the execution of their duty and being drunk and disorderly.

But JPs said they were suspending her prison sentence due to her 'circumstances'.

Today Rachel Baines, Chairman of Lancashire Police Federation said the ruling meant officers had been 'let down by the judicial system'. She described the sentence as 'wholly inadequate'.

She said: 'I cannot comprehend how this violent individual has once again been allowed to walk free. The Police officers assaulted also have a right to be protected from violent criminals, and no amount of mitigation should allow her to walk free, once again.

'This is her eleventh conviction for assaulting police officers, the fourth this year, we are not here as her personal punch bag. This sentence is wholly inadequate.

'I note the Chair of the Bench promises a custodial sentence next time this happens. I will watch with baited breath and hope that the next police officer she assaults is not seriously injured by her.

Mother-of-three Dawn Walker, 34, has a string of convictions for assaulting police officers during drunken foul-mouthed rampages - including four separate incidents this year alone

In the latest incident, she hurled a torrent of abuse at PC Thomas Cock, calling him a ' fat c***', a ' bearded c***' and a ' blue-eyed b******' before headbutting him in the face during a night out

'Assaults on officers should be taken much more seriously because as this incident shows there is absolutely no deterrent. Walker's behaviour has been described to me by the officers concerned as some of the worst they have ever dealt with.

'Her language and level of violence was certainly nothing any person would describe as 'role model' behaviour - quite the opposite. There are no excuses in my opinion that could justify or even mitigate such attacks.'

I cannot comprehend how this violent individual has once again been allowed to walk free. This is her eleventh conviction for assaulting police officers - we are not here as her personal punch bag Rachel Baines, Chairman of Lancashire Police Federation

Earlier the court was told that Walker – who drinks up to three bottles of wine a day - has a criminal record of 17 offences going back 16 years, with 10 previous offences of police assault.

Six occurred in April 2000 and there were two incidents in April this year, as well as one in June. There were further convictions for being drunk and disorderly, one for battery, one for common assault and failing to provide a specimen.

Prosecutor Charlotte Crane said: 'What that tells me is that she likes alcohol and doesn't like police officers.'

Miss Crane said officers got a call at 8pm on July 22 about a disturbance outside the Big Window pub in Burnley town centre and found Walker and a man scuffling on the street.

'Officers separated the pair and PC Cock spoke to Miss Walker - but she was extremely abusive to him, aiming a barrage of insults at him. She was warned about her behaviour but she raised her hand towards PC Cock. He arrested her and escorted her to the police station.

Mother-of-three Dawn Walker, 34 (pictured), of Bacup, Lancashire, has repeatedly been spared jail after insisting she is striving to be a 'good role model' to her three young children

Walker, 34, has one of the worst criminal records Burnley Magistrates' Court had seen

'Whilst being escorted, just outside Burnley Magistrates' Court, she lashed out and headbutted him to the right side of his chin. Needless to say, she was further arrested. A spectacle is probably the best way to describe her behaviour on that particular evening.'

The court heard how the bust-up occurred as Walker had been 'letting her hair down' on one of her regular weekend boozing sessions and had rowed with her new boyfriend. She claimed to remember nothing about it.

But the outburst came just six weeks after Walker escaped with a 12-month community order after she attacked PC Thomas Lord as he questioned her for crashing her car in a drunken stupor.

During the incident she told PC Lord to 'f*** off,' after he asked her to give a breath test, refused to get out of her Renault Megane, tried to bite and headbutt him and made verbal threats.

Walker has now been handed an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for a year, with a nine-month alcohol treatment programme

She tore at his cheek, breaking the skin and causing pain. In previous incidents earlier in the year, she kicked an officer in the chest and booted another in the shin.

In mitigation, defence lawyer Ben Leech said Walker had a drink problem and when her children had become 'more independent' she had 'more free time and more time to kill'.

'Unfortunately she used alcohol as a crutch to get by,' said Mr Leech. 'She had formed a new relationship but I think there are issues within that new relationship.

'What Miss Walker has said to me is that she seems to be able to keep it together for the benefit of her children from Monday to Friday and then she lets her hair down and she loses all control. That is a significant concern not only to the court and probation service but Miss Walker and she recognises she needs to address her alcohol misuse.'

He added: 'She accepts drink plays a significant part in her behaviour. It's something she comes to court and accepts she needs to address, she wants help with. She has been into a rehabilitation unit when she suffered a mental health breakdown and that did have positive effects at the time. It prevented her from taking on board alcohol and it had the desired effect, but only for a short period.

'When she came out, she turned to alcohol once again as a crutch to get her through day-to-day life. She turns to alcohol to try and hide from the problems she most definitely has.'

Walker has now been handed an eight-week sentence, suspended for a year, with a nine-month alcohol treatment programme. She was ordered to pay the victim £100 compensation.

Sentencing, chairman of the bench Mr Philip Homer told her: 'We have to say the bench has not seen a record as poor as this for a long time.