Emma Harrington, 30, battered a fellow parent over the head with her stiletto heel after she arrived to collect her children from primary school when drunk

A mother who battered a fellow parent over the head with her stiletto heel after she arrived to collect her children from primary school when drunk has been spared jail.

Emma Harrington, 30, became embroiled in a row with the father at Eaton Park Academy, in Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, because he was occupying a toilet she wanted to use, a court was told.

North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard she told the man she could smell cannabis when he left the cubicle, which sparked a lengthy verbal dispute in the reception area of the school on May 4.

Harrington called the victim a 'junkie' while he told her to 'go back to working in a lap-dancing club', at which point she slapped him in the face.

After a tussle, she removed her metal-tipped stiletto shoe and used it as a weapon to attack him with, wounding his head and hands.

Teachers had to usher children away from the area as the row escalated into violence.

Harrington then used her shoe to damage a door inside the building, causing £400 worth of damage.

Yesterday, Harrington, of Adderley Green, Stoke-on-Trent, admitted assault by beating and criminal damage.

Magistrates spared her jail but gave her a community order and ordered her to pay £820 in compensation, fines and costs.

The court heard how Harrington - who turned up to court in a blue dress and wearing red stiletto shoes - had been drinking before going to the school at 3pm.

Giles Rowden, prosecuting, said: 'The incident was recorded on CCTV.

'It appears the victim was in the toilets. She wanted to go in.

'When he comes out there's some form of verbal argument.

'There are young children present in the reception area and staff members usher them out before the real assault occurs.

'The defendant can be seen to attack the complainant with her stiletto heel.

'He described it as being charged at. She is making various threats towards him.

'The point (of the heel) contacted with his eyebrow causing a cut and also to his hands, which he was using to defend himself.'

The court heard Harrington, who is unemployed, was last year convicted of assaulting a police officer.

Simon Dykes, mitigating, said the attack was 'out of character'.

'Miss Harrington looks back on this incident with a great deal of regret,' he said. 'There is a statement from one of the teachers at the school, who makes it clear that the behaviour demonstrated by my client is certainly out of character.

'She is desperate for help. She has not only been using alcohol but has been misusing [heroin substitute] Subutex.

Harrington became embroiled in a row with the father at at Eaton Park Academy (pictured), in Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, because he was occupying a toilet she wanted to use, a court was told

'She suffers from anxiety and using it would 'take the edge off' and allow her to go about her business.

'That combined with drinking has led to the problem.'

Magistrates handed a tearful Harrington a 12-month community order, with a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement and a 20- day rehabilitation activity requirement.