Mum kicked police officer called to reports of women fighting in South Shields street

Police had been called to a report of two women fighting in the street and Roberta Kennedy was "abusive and aggressive" to the officers who arrived. Newcastle Crown Court heard after the 33-year-old refused the request to stop swearing, officers tried to take hold of her to arrest her.

Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw told the court: "She struggled and during the struggle she kicked an officer, causing no injury." The officer said in an impact statement she expects a level of non-compliance from people at her work but this "doesn't justify the defendant's aggressive and violent behaviour". The court heard Kennedy had also spat during the incident, at Whitehall Street, South Shields, and made reference to one of the officers being mixed race.

Kennedy, of Wuppertal Court, Jarrow, South Tyneside, who has a criminal record, admitted assault on an emergency worker. Judge Julie Clemitson said Kennedy behaved in a "foul mouthed and abusive way" and sentenced her to a community order for 12 months with rehabilitation requirements and a 7pm to 7am curfew for four weeks.

Judge Clemitson told her: "You need to learn to monitor your behaviour, you clearly have a temper that you need to be able to control, you need to learn to control it."

Fiona Lamb, defending, told the court that Kennedy has mental health problems, has suffered a bereavement and is capable of staying out of trouble.