Drunk swore at police called to Sunderland city centre over reports of woman 'flashing herself' at motorists

Officers were flagged down by youths who said a woman had been walking towards Borough Road and flashing at passing traffic.

When approached in Tatham Street at 7.20pm on Saturday, September 10, drunken Elise MacDonald, 37, of Rock Lodge Road, Roker, swore and was aggressive.

Magistrates in South Tyneside were told she had been working to overcome alcohol issues and that she denied the claims made to police, insisting she was simply adjusting her top.

Prosecutor Greg Flaxen said: “Officers were on patrol when they were waved down by a number of youths and a female.

“They were told the defendant was walking towards Borough Road and had been flashing herself at people.

“The officers found her slumped against a fence. They roused her and she became obstructive.

“She swore at them. She had also sustained a head injury and the officers were concerned for her.

“They warned her about her behaviour. She refused medical treatment. They got her off the ground, and could smell alcohol.

“She attempted to walk off but was told she was in no fit state to be left alone.

“She became aggressive, and the officers felt they had no option but to detain her.”

At the time of the offence, MacDonald was subject to community protection notice (CPN), whose terms include not swearing in public.

She was also subject to a community order, imposed in June for an unidentified offence.

MacDonald pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly and to failing to comply with the CPN.

Annalisa Moscardini, defending, said MacDonald was working well on a Probation Service programme to overcome an alcohol issue.

She admitted her client had returned to drink as a one-off due a separate personal problem not of her making.

Ms Moscardini added: “She was drunk, and she was shouting, she knows she shouldn’t have been.

“She had a relapse and drank alcohol. She would deny flashing at cars, she says that she was adjusting her top.

“There’s ongoing work with the Probation Service, she’s doing incredibly well.”

Magistrates fined MacDonald £40, with £85 court costs and a £16 victim surcharge.