A WOMAN who turned into a "raging bull" when she attacked her vulnerable friend was on the run last night.

Kathleen Salkeld, from Darlington, dragged the woman to the ground, kicked and punched her in two separate assaults.

York Crown Court heard that Salkeld's victim was already recovering from brain injuries inflicted three years ago after her partner doused her in petrol and set her alight.

Fearing she would be burned alive, she jumped out of a window of the flat in Geneva Road, Darlington, but fractured her skull and broke her sternum in the process.

She suffered 40 per cent burns on her arms, legs, back and sides and had to undergo two operations on her brain

The Honorary Recorder of York, Judge Paul Batty QC, yesterday issued a warrant for Salkeld's arrest after she failed to turn up to court for her trial.

In her absence, Salkeld, of Mowden Terrace, was jailed for three years after a jury found her guilty of three assaults – two causing actual bodily harm.

The judge said: “She is 23 years of age and has resisted engaging with the justice system and is effectively on the run.

“There is repeated violence done to a vulnerable victim and done while in the victim’s own home.”

Martin Robertshaw, prosecuting, said the pair had been friends and lived together in the Darlington area in the past, but the victim had moved to York.

He said Salkeld got in touch and asked if she could come and stay in her flat.

An argument broke out and Salkeld grabbed her friend's hair, pulled her to the floor and kicked and punched her body and face. She suffered bruising and swelling and went to hospital to be checked out.

The victim’s mother said she came to her flat and found her daughter covered in blood and with matted hair and a black eye.

“It was just dreadful,” she said.

Later the same day, Salkeld returned, shouting and swearing and asking for her belongings to be returned, and she again punched and kicked the woman.

Her mother said she too was thrown to the ground, suffering a sprain to her wrist.

The victim said in an interview with police that Salkeld had turned into a "raging bull" and had been shouting: “Give me my baby back.”

The court was told that Salkeld had recently miscarried a baby and stored the foetus in a freezer at the Clifton property.

Salkeld claimed when interviewed by police that she was attacked by the other woman and had acted in self defence.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said last night: “Salkeld has links with York and County Durham and we’d urge anyone who thinks they may have seen her to get in touch with North Yorkshire Police on 101 and select option 1 so they can share this information with us.

“If the sighting is immediate, we’d ask people to report it by calling 999.”

*Edward McArthur, 40, was jailed for 15 years and nine months at Teesside Crown Court in January 2015 after admitting causing grievous bodily harm with intent to the victim, and arson with intent to endanger life.