A HOMELESS Penrith woman racially abused and tried to kick a police officer who was trying to help her put on a shoe.

Leanne Buckley, 31, who was sleeping rough in a Penrith graveyard, committed the offences while in drink, Carlisle’s Rickergate court heard. She admitted three offences.

They were an assault on an emergency worker, the police officer; using racially aggravated threatening behaviour; and a single count of shoplifting.

At the city’s Rickergate court, prosecutor George Shelley outlined the facts, explaining how the police assault and threatening behaviour offences happened on July 30 as officers tried to remove her from an address in Penrith.

The prosecutor said: “This was due to her being violent. She was drunk and uncooperative, swearing at the officers and refusing to leave.”

When she was arrested and handcuffed, one of the officers tried to help Buckley put on her shoe and it was at this point that she tried to kick the constable and screamed a racial slur.

She also insulted a second officer for being Scottish.

The court heard that Buckley, who has a care-of address at Wilson Row, Penrith, had been living and sleeping rough in the graveyard at St Andrew's Church, Penrith, because she is currently homeless.

“She’s in something of a state,” said Mr Toms.

“She is struggling on so many levels because she is homeless. She did apologise during her interview for her behaviour towards the officers. She was clearly in drink and intoxicated and she did things of which she is now ashamed.”

Recently, the defendant had been working with church staff who were traying to help her get help for her alcohol use. “Clearly, alcohol is at the base of all of this,” added Mr Toms.

District Judge John Temperley noted that the defendant was serving a community order at the time of her offending. Regarding that order, she had done nothing other than attend the Probation Office without an appointment.

This was despite officers bending over backwards to help her. During her one visit to the office, she became agitated and abusive, kicking walls and a door before leaving.

The court heard that Buckley had 27 previous offences on her record, last having appeared in court in May for offences dating from April.

District Judge Temperley jailed the defendant for 14 weeks and ordered that she pay £50 compensation to the officers she attempted to kick.