2 weeks Ago By Joanne Warnock
A Moray woman has been handed community service after admitting drunkenly staggering with a toddler in a pushchair along the edge of the A96. Kira Stephen, 25, was also convicted of assaulting her mother twice and slapping a police officer while resisting arrest. Stephen, whose address was listed as no fixed abode, appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court for sentencing.
The court heard Stephen had been spotted near Forres train station on July 29 “swerving” on the grass verge of the A96 Forres bypass while pushing a child in a buggy. Fiscal depute Shay Treanor said Stephen had been seen walking with the toddler near the busy road by her mother. “An argument ensued,” Mr Treanor went on.
“And Miss Stephen began striking [her mother] multiple times with her hand and biting her. “No injuries were sustained, the police were contacted and they attended.” One of the officers tried to stop Stephen from having control of the child in the pushchair, the court heard, which prompted Stephen to slap the officer.
“She was charged with being drunk in charge of a child, arrested and kept in custody overnight,” Mr Treanor said. Repeatedly struck mum with cup The court was then told of another argument between Stephen and her mother a week later, in which she repeatedly hit her mum with a blue plastic drinking cup. This led to the woman needing four stitches for cuts to her head, the court heard.
Stephen admitted two assaults on her mother, one on the police officer, and a further charge of being drunk in charge of a toddler – all whilst being on bail. Her defence agent Iain Maltman said Stephen had been through a difficult break-up of a long-term relationship and had “begun drinking regularly to excess”. “She has little or no memory of the incidents involving the police officer,” he explained.
“And she hopes to repair the relationship with her mother. “She has been self-detoxing and has been allocated housing in the Moray area.” Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov placed Stephen under supervision for two years and ordered her to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, to be completed within six months.
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