A woman who threw a brick through the window of a police van has been put on probation for 12 months.

The woman, whom we have chosen not to name, also vandalised a police car by hitting it with a bottle of vodka, denting the bonnet.

The 20-year-old said she had drunk around 12 cans of lager and wanted to be arrested as she was homeless.

She pleaded guilty to destroying property and damaging property.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court how, on July 5 at 4.30am, the offender was outside Peel police station.

She picked up a brick, which was in the cathedral grounds, and threw it at the passenger window of a parked police van causing it to smash.

An officer who was on duty at the station came out and the offender then walked towards a police car and started hitting it with a bottle of vodka, causing a dent and scratches.

handcuffed

As the officer approached she threw the bottle on the ground and put her hands out to be handcuffed.

As she was arrested she said: ‘I’ve nowhere to go. I’ve done this on purpose. I’ve lost everything.’

She was said to be slurring her words, unsteady on her feet, and smelling of alcohol.

After sobering up, the woman was interviewed and said she had been drinking all day on July 4.

She said she had woken up on a red boat, which she couldn’t explain.

She said she then went to Shoprite and bought 18 small cans of lager and already had four in her bag.

The woman, whose address was given as no fixed abode, said she drank 10 to 12 cans throughout the day and didn’t want to go to the homeless accommodation Graih.

She said she was drinking with her partner but was unable to stay at his place so she had tried to sleep at the entrance to Peel Castle.

Mr Swain said that the offences seemed to be a ‘cry for help’.

A probation report said that the defendant had finished a suspended sentence supervision order in June and had reduced her alcohol intake.

The report said that there were currently no spaces at probation accommodation Tromode House and there was a waiting list for places.

Defence advocate Kate Alexander said that her client was committed to making changes and agreed that the offences had been a ‘cry for help’.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also ordered the offender to pay £201.07 compensation for the damage caused to the police vehicles.