A WOMAN has escaped jail despite smashing the door of a charity shop, assaulting police officers and being found with a knife in Clacton.

Claire Humphrey, 41, of Golf Green Road, Jaywick, was convicted at South East London Magistrates' Court following an incident in Clacton on April 27 last year.

Humphrey was convicted of criminal damage, two charges of assault by beating of an emergency worker, possessing a knife in a public place and of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

The court heard Humphrey smashed the glass front door of the British Heart Foundation shop and assaulted two police officers during the incident.

She was handed a three-month jailed sentence, suspended for 12 months, for being found with the kitchen knife in Station Road on the same day.

Humphrey was handed two further one-month suspended sentences for the assaults, which will run concurrently.

She must comply with a 12-month supervision order, part of which means she will be electronically monitored, and she must also take part in a rehabilitation programme for up to 45 days.

She was ordered to pay £150 compensation for the damage and received no separate penalty for causing harassment, alarm or distress.

EXPLAINED - What we can and can't report from court