A 39-YEAR-OLD woman from Nailsea could be sent to jail after assaulting two barmen and beating up a police officer.

Rachael Hartman, of Moorlands Close, pleaded guilty to three counts of assault when she appeared at North Somerset Courthouse in St Georges.

Kevin Blackmore, prosecuting, told the court how Hartman had entered Shooters bar in Weston High Street at 6pm on Boxing Day with a drink she had bought somewhere else.

Steve Jackson, who was working at the bar, recognised Ms Hartman as being banned from the pub and asked her to leave.

Hartman then swore at Mr Jackson before throwing her drink at him, which hit him on the shoulder.

Mr Blackmore said: “Adam McNally, the assistant manager, then approached the defendant and said ‘you’re barred, you have to leave’. The defendant proceeded to call him abusive names before slapping him to the left cheek, causing a red mark.”

Ms Hartman then left the pub but staff notified police, and an officer approached her in Weston High Street.

The court heard that Hartman began shouting and swearing at the two officers and swinging out with clenched fists.

During the struggle PC Debbie Chamberlain fell to the floor. In her statement read out in court she said: “She (Hartman) straddled me and grabbed my hair and hit my head on the ground. I threw her off and straddled her. She still had hold of my hair and kept pulling it.”

The officer later attended Weston General Hospital with a nose bleed, bruises to both cheeks and scratches to her face and mouth.

She also had lumps on her head, a sprained ankle and lost clumps of her hair.

PC Chamberlain said: “This attack is by far the worst I’ve been subjected to.

“The accident has left me more wary when dealing with confrontational situations.

“I count myself lucky I walked away with just the injuries I received especially as the back of my head was hit on the pavement.

“The incident happened around Christmas and I was unable to run around with my children and have quality family time. I was instead nursing a very sore head and limping around.”

Sue Cameron, mitigating, said Hartman had not intended to cause harm but had drunk two bottles of wine and was on antidepressants, which affected her behaviour.

Chair of the bench, Walter Lewis, said: “We view this as a very serious attack. It was prolonged and the person was quite significantly injured.

“It crosses the custody threshold and we feel that our powers to sentence may not be sufficient. Therefore we are sending you to crown court for sentence on April 30.”