A 61-year-old Douglas woman who kicked a police officer and was drunk in public has been fined £600.

Deborah Margaret Whitehead has also been ordered to pay £200 compensation to the officer, and £125 prosecution costs.

Prosecuting advocate Roger Kane told the court that, on February 8 at 8pm, a member of the public reported that a woman was drunk on Lord Street in Douglas.

Police arrived and found Whitehead unable to stand unaided, slurring her words and smelling of alcohol.

She told officers she was unable to get into her Lord Street address, but was described as abrupt.

The member of the public was looking after Whitehead’s dog, due to their concerns.

The defendant was taken to a police van, but became aggressive, kicking out and making contact with a female officer in the stomach.

The officer did not suffer any injury.

Whitehead was interviewed later and said that she wanted to apologise to the woman she had kicked.

Defence advocate Lawrie Gelling asked the court to deal with the offences by way of a financial penalty.

Ms Gelling said that Whitehead had been at a friend’s house on the night of the incident, and had been distressed that she couldn’t get into her home.

The advocate said that, when police had put handcuffs on her client, Whitehead had suffered pain because she had broken her wrist in December, and had only had the cast taken off 36 hours beforehand.

Ms Gelling said that the defendant had apologised the following day and had not appeared in court for around 15 years.

Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood told Whitehead: ‘There was no injury, but that was more by luck than design.’

Whitehead will pay the fine, compensation, and costs at a rate of £20 per fortnight.