A CARE assistant who attacked three terrified schoolchildren with a pair of molegrips after accusing them of stealing has been jailed for 120 days.

Mother-of-two Ann Marie Heaton, 33, had struck the youngsters across the hands with the weapon, Burnley Magistrates heard.

Heaton, who works in a dementia unit, was arrested after the victims went to school and teachers saw their injuries.

She denied involvement in the beatings. Another man claimed he struck all the three children but the prosecution did not accept that and he was charged with one assault. He was also earlier sent to prison for 120 days.

The defendant, of Thursby Road, Nelson, had admitted three charges of assault by beating, last November 18. The bench told her only custody would suffice.

Bill Maude, prosecuting, said the boy had been instructed to go and get a hammer, but pretended he couldn't find it and hid it.

Heaton then produced a pair of metal molegrips and two girls were struck across the knuckles, one of them repeatedly, and questioned about stealing.

Mr Maude said the boy refused to put his hands out and he was tripped up and held on the floor. A man then hit him on the left hand with the molegrips. The victim struggled free and struck the man in the face, making him more angry and causing him to strike the boy twice more with the weapon.

Mark Williams, defending, said Heaton worked at Brierfield House and had never shown any aggression towards any of her charges who were perhaps not the easiest people to deal with. She did not lose or temper or resort to physical violence.