A 45-YEAR-OLD Quedgeley woman spat at an off-duty policeman when he went to help after a car ran into a ditch, a court heard on Friday.

Pc Simon Peyton was on his way to midnight mass with his family at Gloucester Cathedral on Christmas Eve when he saw the car in the hedgerow.

Gloucester Crown Court heard that Josephine Berry, of Mansfield Mews, Quedgeley, had been in the car and her daughter, who was driving, and was still in the vehicle.

There was also another vehicle at the scene of the accident in Gloucester.

Berry pleaded guilty to assaulting PC Peyton by spitting in his face.

The court heard she had a previous conviction in 2000 for an assault on a police officer.

In defence of Berry, the court was told that she spat at the officer because he had told her not to leave the scene following a scuffle with others involved in the incident.

Berry was fined £250 and must pay £75 costs plus a £25 victim surcharge.