A WOMAN hit a man on the head when violence broke out at a school gate, York magistrates heard.

Rosie Anne Kathleen Atkins had earlier sent the victim abusive messages via Facebook, said Kathryn Reeve, prosecuting.

After she hit him, she said: “That is nothing compared to what I am going to do to you.

“I am going to knock your …… eyes straight.”

Both adults had gone to Westfield Community Primary School at going home time on December 10, 2020.

Atkins, 29, of Kingsway West, Acomb, pleaded guilty to assault.

She was given a 12-month community order with 25 days’ rehabilitative activities.

She was also fined £80 and ordered to pay a £95 statutory surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

She has previous convictions for violence and in January 2018 was jailed for 40 weeks for actual bodily harm and assault.

A probation report to the court said Atkins had problems with her emotions and controlling them.

For her, Elisha Canning said Atkins had not planned the assault at the school gate and no children had been present when it happened.

“It is an incident she will regret for a long time,” she said.

“She has serious significant mental health issues.”

Atkins knew she had behaved in an unacceptable way.

At the time of the assault, Atkins had been struggling with her mental health because she had changed her medication.

“Her head was all over the place,” said the defence solicitor.

Medical professionals are currently investigating whether Atkins has a personality disorder.

She had overcome other problems, including kicking an addiction and recognised she needed help.

She was working with an organisation that worked with women involved in the criminal justice system, said Ms Canning.

Ms Reeve said when Atkins saw the man outside the school, she started to shout abuse at him.

“He approached her to warn her about her language,” she said. “At that point she has hit him across the head with force and walked away.”

The man was not injured, said Ms Reeve.