An ungrateful drunk woman punched a police officer as he gave her a lift home.

Leah Jones, of London Road, Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker when she appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, November 19.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said a taxi driver called into a police station after Jones, 26, caused him difficulties while in the back of his cab on November 3.

“She was refusing to leave, but did eventually get out. She was abusive to the officer and swore at him.”

The officer put Jones in a police car to take her home, as he was concerned for her welfare because of her drunken state.

When he arrived in her street she started shouting and swearing at him when he missed her house and punched him on the back of his head.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said: “Fortunately it was not a particularly hard hit, but clearly it was a dangerous thing to do.

“It seems very ungrateful to the officer who was simply trying to help her, and that’s how she repaid him.”

Jones continued to shout and swear and swung her arms as she was arrested and handcuffed.

When interviewed she was unaware of what she had done because of the amount of alcohol she had consumed, and could not even remember getting into the taxi.

Jones, who had no previous convictions, apologised for her behaviour.

Mike Kelleher, defending, said both Jones and her partner had overindulged while at a birthday party, and the taxi driver left her boyfriend behind when he got out of the car to be sick.

“He drove off with my client in the backseat.

“The taxi driver came to the police station with Leah Jones in some disarray in the back of the car without money, telephone or boyfriend.

“The officer was extremely generous in giving her a lift home, and in normal circumstances Miss Jones would be extremely thankful.”

Magistrates imposed a 12-month community order with 60 hours of unpaid work. Jones was ordered to pay £225 in compensation, costs and a surcharge.