Woman lost temper with police

Police officers warned her about her foul-mouthed and arm-waving conduct. But when she persisted they lost their patience and booked her for a public order offence.

Peter Bolwell, prosecuting, told Hastings magistrates Leach had been helping police with enquiries on another matter. She was having difficulty at getting transport home at 2.15 am.

Leach used a police telephone but was shouting and swearing at officers, said Mr Bolwell.

"She needed some assistance in getting home but didn't do it properly and used offensive language at officers," he said.

When Leach was told to go and use a public telephone box she swore again and refused to leave the police station.

Mr Bolwell told the court: "She swung her arm which came close to an officer's face and at that point they decided they'd had enough."

He said Leach had a lively criminal history for offences of dishonesty and seemed to have trouble in dealings with police.

Kim Goodall, defending, said: "The situation is that the defendant was released from police custody for a matter she had not committed and I am told the police accept she was entirely innocent.

"It should be of some concern to the court that a female aged 20 should be released at two in the morning and expected to walk back to Pebsham," he said.

Mr Goodall said it was common practice for police to take home such a vulnerable female at that time for obvious reasons.

He said: "A call between the defendant and her mother was terminated by police and she was told to make her own way home."

Mr Goodall said the police arrangement for a taxi to take Leach home was "entirely the right course."

He said: "Had she been represented by a solicitor at the time of her release that person would have known the protocol about taking people home. The policy usually adopted was not applied in this case."

Magistrate Gorden Waters told Leach: "You have had quite a chequered career in the past. You have even been sent to a young offenders institution. If you don't see the error of your ways you will go back for longer and longer periods. You must think seriously about your behaviour and think before you act."

Leach was given a conditional discharge on the public order offence and a bail offence for 18 months.

Magistrates cut 100 off 152 she owed the court in previous fines. Leach also has to pay 89 court costs.