A pregnant woman who assaulted three men including a police officer has escaped jail.

Nicola Wilson, 23, of Covingham Drive, was drunk when she approached two members of staff at Milford House in Milford Street, Swindon.

When one of the men, Euan Douglas, told her to go away she lunged forward and tried to punch him in the face.

He held her arms and tried to move her away but she bit him on the right side of the chest, causing him to bleed.

And as Mr Douglas tried to hold her down she started to bite his ankles, Swindon magistrates were told.

Emmalyne Downing, prosecuting, said: "She continued to try to scratch, bite, kick and hit him."

When another member of staff, Marcus Goddard, approached Wilson, she headbutted him and scratched his arm.

Wilson was taken to a cell at Swindon police station, in the early hours of August 17 this year. She became loud and abusive and kicked and shouted.

As PC Kevin Bridgeman helped move Wilson to another cell she bit him and dug her fingernails into his right wrist, causing him to bleed.

She was abusive to all of the police officers present.

Wilson admitted two counts of common assault and one of assaulting a police officer.

Con Fernandes, for the defence, said: "She can't remember much of what happened on the night because of the alcohol, but she accepts her behaviour was unacceptable."

As a child, Wilson had been placed into foster care on several occasions and had been bullied at school, the court heard.

She was 19 weeks pregnant and deserved a last chance to stay out of jail, Mr Fernandes argued.

David Poots, chairman of the magistrates, told Wilson: "The offences are quite clearly on a level where you deserve to go to prison."

But instead of a custodial sentence she was given a community rehabilitation order for 18 months, to include treatment for aggression, and a curfew order for three months to keep her off the streets between 12.30am and 7.30am.

Wilson was ordered to pay £75 compensation to each of her three victims and prosecution costs of £70.

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