A TEENAGE girl kicked a policeman on the shin and then punched him on the jaw as the two of them fell to the floor in a taxi office.

Blackburn magistrates heard that police, called to a disturbance outside the Millstone pub in Darwen in the early hours, found about 20 people arguing. And while some moved on when told, others, including Leanne Taylor, refused to leave.

Taylor, 19, of Twogates Walk, Darwen, pleaded guilty to assaulting PC John Molloy and was ordered to pay £50 compensation to the officer and £55 costs. A charge of being drunk and disorderly was withdrawn.

Wendy Shackleton, prosecuting, said it became apparent to the officers that most of the abuse was directed towards two males and the officers told them to go inside the taxi office.

Some of the females present began shouting abuse through the window and then Taylor went in and started struggling with the males. "An officer tried to pull her away, but she began to struggle violently, lashing out with her hands and feet," said Miss Shackleton.

"The officer was still hold of her when she kicked him in the shin and when they fell to the floor she punched him in the jaw.

"She continued to struggle violently until she was put in the back of the police van."

Jonathon Taylor, defending, said the incident had started inside a nightclub when one of Taylor's friends had been assaulted by one of the two males involved in the incident in the taxi office.

He said words were exchanged outside the club and Taylor was assaulted by the same man.

"She reacted out of character as a result of the combined effects of the drink and temper."

He said Taylor accepted kicking the officer but felt the punch was more of an accident as they fell.

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