A WOMAN described as turning into a “raging bull” when attacking her friend remains on the run after failing to turn up to court for her trial.

Kathleen Salkeld, from Darlington, is being sought by police after being convicted in her absence of three separate assaults.

The trial, held at York Crown Court on Wednesday, August 31, heard how Salkeld had attacked her friend by grabbing her hair, pulling her to the floor and kicking and punching her body and face. She later returned the same day asking for her belongings to be returned and again punched and kicked the woman and threw her mother to the ground.

The victim was already recovering from brain injuries inflected three years ago in Darlington, after her partner doused her in petrol and set her alight. She fractured her skull after jumping out a window of the house in Geneva Road in Darlington to save herself.

In her absence, Salkeld, 23, of Mowden Terrace, was jailed for three years after a jury found her guilty of three assaults – two causing actual bodily harm.

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

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “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.”