A WOMAN who spat in the face of a job centre security guard who was escorting her off the premises has been branded “filthy and disgusting”’ for her actions.

Blackburn Magistrates heard Shenade Jeal had discharged herself from hospital to go to the job centre in a bid to stop herself being sanctioned by the Department for Work and Pensions and became frustrated when things weren’t going the way she wanted.

Jeal, 25, of Sussex Drive, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Paul O’Neil. She was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £100 compensation, £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Passing sentence the chairman of the magistrates said it was a “filthy and disgusting” act of which Jeal should be ashamed.

Kerry Grieve, prosecuting, said Mr O’Neil was on duty on the first floor where Jeal was seen by a member of the benefits staff. She was loud and abusive and became progressively more animated.

She was eventually told to leave and come back in an hour.

Mrs Grieve said: “By now she was extremely angry, shouting abuse at staff.

“Mr O’Neil asked her to leave and she turned on him, threatening to headbutt him. Without warning she turned round and spat in his face.”

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said his client knew she should have shown more restraint and apologised for what had happened.

“She had discharged herself from hospital against medical advice because she was frightened of being sanctioned by the benefits agency,” said Mr Taylor. “She explained to a member of staff that she was very unwell and had to return to hospital but she wasn’t making any progress.”

Mr Taylor said the security guard was a big man and CCTV showed him barging her out of the building.

“He caught her in the kidney area and she felt considerable pain,” said Mr Taylor. “She was very unwell and was short-tempered as a result.”