AN alcoholic with more than 200 offences on her record has been shown leniency by the courts to enable her to turn her life around.

Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday that 33-year-old Marianne Cullerton was arrested for being drunk and disorderly in the graveyard at St Cuthbert’s Church, Darlington, on the afternoon of September 12.

She had been reported to police as being in a drunken state of undress.

When officers arrived, she shouted and swore at them within earshot of passers-by including a child, the court heard.

Cullerton, of Westbrook, Darlington, pleaded guilty and admitted that this put her in breach of two conditional discharges.

Magistrates heard that Cullerton has committed 282 offences but hoped to attend a rehabilitation centre to help her beat her alcoholism.

Mitigating, Kate Duncan said Cullerton had shown “genuine remorse” for her drunken behaviour and was particularly upset to learn that a small child had heard her shouting and swearing.

She added: “That (alcohol) is a long-standing issue and has been one for a number of years.

“The crux of her previous offences record is because she is under drink.

“She has battled with that demon for a lot of years.”

Miss Duncan told the court that Cullerton had spent the previous night at hospital suffering from stomach pains believed to be related to ulcers but had discharged herself to attend court.

She added that she was also working with relevant services to address her alcoholism and was hopeful of gaining a place at a residential rehab centre.

Hilary Payne of the probation service told the court that Cullerton had been attending appointments designed to help her stop drinking.

However, she warned: “The only way she can even start to think about getting into rehab is to show periods of abstinence.

“That is certainly very hard for such a chronic alcohol user.”

Magistrates told Cullerton that she was being treated “as leniently as possible” to give her the best chance of gaining a place at a residential rehabilitation centre to get her life back on the straight and narrow.

She was ordered to pay £50 in fines and charges