A WREXHAM woman spat at an officer after police came to her aid when she was found drunk in a gutter.

Dawn Roberts, 45, of Swan Street, Rhos, admitted to the public order offence, following the incident at Park Road, Ponciau on October 24.

Justin Espie, prosecuting, told North East Wales Magistrates how police had been alerted by a concerned member of the public to a woman lying in the gutter just after midnight, with initial fears she may have been knocked over.

However, when officers found Roberts and checked on her welfare, she started shouting and swearing, so was arrested and taken to the custody suite at Llay.

Mr Espie went on to say how Roberts spat at PC Phillip Roberts on two separate occasions while in custody, with the spittle landing on his chest and neck.

Euros Jones, defending, said how Roberts had not been the same since two people had broken in and attacked her husband in front of her, which had resulted in her turning to alcohol.

He went on to say his client was “thoroughly ashamed” and how the incident at her home had been difficult for the family and that they wished to move away from the area and start afresh.

Mr Jones added that Roberts fully accepted she should not have taken it out on the police officer, who was “simply doing his job”.

Probation officer Pamela Roberts, said the defendant was remorseful and both upset and frustrated for allowing herself to use alcohol in a way which resulted in this type of behaviour. She went on to explain how the family had been living at the address for 11 years and how a dispute with tenants of an adjoining property had been the catalyst for recent events.

Roberts had worked as a fully qualified nursery nurse for around ten years, before a back injury in 2014 had left her unable to continue in that line of work. She accepted she had been using alcohol to “block things out” but had not touched a drop since the offences were committed.

District Judge Gwyn Jones said members of the public felt that spitting was more offensive than being hit. He warned that the starting point was immediate custody but he would take an exceptional course in her case.

Roberts was placed on a 12 month community order which includes rehabilitation requirements and must complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

She must also pay £200 compensation and pay £85 court costs and surcharge of £90.