A WOMAN who assaulted a man at a bus stop because he did not give her a cigarette appeared in court yesterday.

Michelle Lynch-White, 23, admitted to assaulting Iqbal Hussain at a bus stop in Yarm Road, Darlington, on April 16 when she appeared before Newton Aycliffe magistrates.

Jaqueline Gibson, prosecuting, said Mr Hussain was standing at the bus stop at about 7pm, waiting for a bus to take him to work, when Lynch-White and her then boyfriend, Paul Noble, approached him.

"She asked for a cigarette and when he said he didn't smoke she struck out at him and hit him to the left side of his neck, causing him pain. The defendant and Paul Noble then walked away.

"It was an unprovoked attack and the defendant admitted assault. She said she over-reacted when drunk, slapping him in the face."

Lynch-White also admitted stealing £54.93-worth of perfume from Next in Darlington on May 16, which she was going to sell to buy heroin.

She also admitted stealing whisky worth £25.94 on April 13 and £38.91 on April 15, from Asda.

Mike Clarke, in mitigation, said: "So far as the assault was concerned, may I invite you to conclude it was a fairly minor assault, although unprovoked. She slapped the man across the face once, that is the extent of it."

Magistrates gave Lynch-White, of Salisbury Terrace, Darlington, a 12-month community rehabilitation order and ordered her to pay Mr Hussain £50 compensation and £70 court costs.