A 45-YEAR-OLD Clitheroe market trader waded in when police tried to arrest her son for criminal damage after he kicked a car wing mirror.

Blackburn magistrates heard Sarah Jane Atherton led the way as her family went to war with officers at 3.50am in the centre of Whalley.

The son who started the incident was cautioned for criminal damage, another had to write a letter of apology to police and her husband received a fixed penalty for being drunk and disorderly.

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Atherton ended up in court and admitted two charges of assaulting police officers, being drunk and disorderly in King Street and criminal damage to a police uniform. She was fined £220 and ordered to pay £110 compensation and £105 costs.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the incident started when, unknown to the defendant, her son kicked a wing mirror.

“Officers were in the process of arresting him when Atherton and other members of her family decided to get involved. An officer was placing the son in a vehicle when he was grabbed round the neck by Atherton who was shouting at him to get off her son and swore at him.”

The officer’s shirt was ripped and he pushed Atherton away at which point her other son became involved and shouted, ‘don't push my mum’ before swearing at him.

Atherton got hold of the officer around the neck again and another officer then took hold of her.

“She kicked that officer several times in the leg and groin area,” said Miss Allan. “One of the officers produced his Pava spray but in the course of the struggle got sprayed himself.

“The officer said that in 15 years’ of service he had never experienced such physical violence towards him by so many people at the same time.”

Kristian Cavanagh, defending, said his client was before the courts for the first time and was ashamed.

“When she was confronted by the CCTV footage of the incident her response was that she was very, very sorry.”

He said Atherton had been a care worker for 20 years and had dealt with many challenging individuals.

“On this occasion she had too much to drink and didn't react well,” he said