A TRAINEE hairdresser who racially abused a policeman has had her request not to wear a tag accepted.

However, Newton Aycliffe magistrates have said the decision not to place the Darlington teenager on a curfew was not because of any potential embarrassment it might cause her.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had pleaded guilty to shoplifting, being drunk and disorderly and racial abuse, causing harassment alarm or distress.

The court was told that on March 29 the girl had stolen seven cans of lager from Bells Stores, in Darlington.

Jacqueline Gibson, prosecuting, said police were then called to an incident out- side the Elmfield Centre, in Darlington, where the defendant and another girl were drunk.

The girl became abusive and pushed an officer before trying to run off.

She was arrested and put in a police car where she threatened to spit at a police officer and racially abused him.

A pre-sentence report had suggested the teenager should be put on a curfew.

However, her solicitor Michael Clarke argued this could cause her substantial embarrassment as she was starting work as a trainee hairdresser.

He said: "If she is on a curfew order she will be wearing a tag.

"This will cause her anxiety and embarrassment in the workplace, especially if she is wearing a skirt."

He also said she had been working well with social workers.

Magistrates sentenced the girl to a 12-month community rehabilitation order and 18 hours of community-based reparation.

They agreed she did not have to be subject to curfew.

Chairman of the bench John Robinson said: "Mr Clarke, I'm acceding to your request. She won't go on a curfew, we are not acceding to it because of what you said.

"We are acceding to it on the grounds that she is been working well and it would be unfair to set her up to fail."