A WOMAN bit the hand of one police officer and then spat in the face of another as they tried to arrest her after she drunkenly abused them.

Diane Wilson, 44, of St Helen Auckland, County Durham, called Durham Police on September 13 to complain that she had been the victim of an assault.

Two officers attended her Melrose Drive home at 7pm to discuss the matter.

Prosecutor Jonathan Bambro told magistrates at Newton Aycliffe that the police officers felt that Wilson was drunk.

They tried to explain what would happen regarding the assault claims and then Wilson began to verbally abuse them.

She was warned about her conduct but continued to be abusive and was arrested.

Because her left arm is in a sling, one officer escorted Wilson to the car with his hand on her shoulder.

Wilson bit the officer’s right hand near the thumb, then spat in the other officer’s face. As officers later tried to search Wilson she began to strip off in front of the police.

A Probation Service report was requested by the magistrates and Andy Clinton, defending Wilson, declined to offer any other mitigation.

Wilson pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting police and another of using threatening words or behaviour.

Magistrates imposed a nine-month community order and Wilson will pay £50 compensation to each of the officers assaulted. She will pay no prosecution costs.