THE woman cleared of killing toddler Courtney-Ann Shailes has been spared a jail sentence after admitting assaulting three young girls.

Lynn Thornton, formerly known as Lynn Jeffrey, was ordered to live at the Rothera Project, a scheme in Bradford which helps women with emotional and psychological problems.

Burnley magistrates imposed the condition as part of a two-year community order given to Thornton, from Brierfield, who the admitted the attacks at an earlier hearing.

The court heard the assaults - on girls aged 13, eight and four - happened just two weeks after she was cleared of murdering 11-month-old Courtney-Ann, whose family live in Nelson but used to live in Hapton.

Thornton claimed the girls called her a "baby murderer", but Burnley magistrates were told they were innocent and the attacks were unprovoked. The court heard Thornton confronted the girls outside her former home in Bird Street, Brierfield, pushed the older ones into some bushes and kicked the pushchair in which the four-year-old was sitting.

Mark Irlam, defending, said Thornton needed "help and guidance". He said: "She had a lot to deal with and has spent 10 months in custody."

The assaults happened on July 25, 15 days after she was cleared of murdering Courtney-Ann, who, Preston Crown Court was told, died died from horrific injuries consistent with being flung repeatedly against a wall at the Shailes' family house in Railway Street, Nelson.

Since Thornton's acquittal, police have launched a review of the investigation into Courtney-Ann's death.