A DRUNKEN single mother who punched a woman in a melee has been spared jail at Burnley Crown Court.

Kay Taylor, 23, had later bitten the victim but a hearing had previously found it couldn't be sure she wasn't acting in self defence. She was the initial aggressor, the court was told.

Taylor, of Olympia Street, Burnley, admitted assaulting Anne Duckworth, causing her actual bodilay harm ,last December. She had no previous convictions.

The defendant was given a 12-month community order with no order for costs or compensation.

Sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt told the defendant, who had been given a caution last October, she had a problem with drink and became very aggressive when she had had alcohol.

The judge said there had been no more instances since and she was sure that was because the proceedings had had a salutory effect upon the defendant.

Judge Lunt she she didn't want Taylor to think once she had been sentenced, she could go back to drinking and added an addressing substance related offending programme would protect the public. She added :"It will teach you how to look at alcohol properly and not drink to excess in the future."

John Woodward, defending, said the court hearings had been a difficult and frightening experience for the defendant. She had accepted the deliberate punch from the outset and had always said she was sorry, Mr Woodward said.