A WOMAN assaulted a police officer who stopped her car.

Janet Brown-Spalding, 44, of Station Road, Alne, near Easingwold, lashed out after being stopped by police on the A19 northbound at South Kilvington, near Thirsk.

Police believed she had taken an overdose and arrived at her house at 9.30pm on February 17. She drove off and was followed to the A19.

When she was stopped, she kicked a police constable in the shin and punched a female detention officer after being arrested.

Blood tests found higher than normal levels of three prescribed drugs.

Brown-Spalding, who appeared at Northallerton Magistrates Court yesterday was charged with driving while unfit through drugs, and two counts of assault.

She pleaded guilty to the offences at an earlier hearing.

Geoff Boothby, for Brown-Spalding, said she has been suffering from clinical depression for some time and her behaviour was affected by the drugs she had taken.

He added: "She was not acting out of malice towards the police officer. She was terrified."

Magistrates gave her a two-year conditional discharge, banned her from driving for a year and ordered her to pay £50 compensation to both police officers. She was also ordered to pay £50 court costs.