A WOMAN who tore chunks of hair out of her victim in an unprovoked Chester city centre attack has been jailed.

Toni Michelle Goode, 30, previously of Saltney but had recently moved to Fairford Road, Lache, had assaulted Helen Hale after snatching her mobile phone in Eastgate Street on June 30.

Chester Magistrates Court heard Goode had drunk 12 cans of cider before the daytime attack, and later kicked PC John Wszolek, and kicked and resisted PC Samantha Knox while being arrested in Bridge Street.

A probation report and defence solicitor Lloyd Stradling recommended Goode receive a comprehensive community order to deal with her various issues, including alcohol.

But magistrates on Thursday, August 8 believed the offence was too serious to be dealt with by a financial penalty or community order and sentenced Goode to a total of 17 weeks in prison.

Prosecuting, Rob Youds said victim Ms Hale had seen Goode was arguing with a man and she turned away so as not draw attention to herself.

But Goode walked up behind her and snatched her mobile phone.

Ms Hale asked for it back but was verbally abused in response, leaving her frightened and intimidated.

A member of the public intervened to get Ms Hale's phone back, but then Goode "made a beeline" for Ms Hale.

Ms Hale went to the top of the steps on the Rows but was then attacked from behind as Goode used both hands on Ms Hale's head to rip chunks of hair out, in an attack lasting 20 seconds.

The man who Goode had been arguing with earlier shouted "get off her" and the attack ended. A doorman then went up to Ms Hale to make sure she was okay.

The attack had left Ms Hale feeling "scared and shaken".

Police located Goode in Bridge Street and she called them "f***ing weapons". She kicked out at the officers, hitting PC Wsolek on the top of his leg and kicking PC Knox a number of times while being arrested.

When interviewed, Goode said she had drunk 12 cans of cider, and was apologetic about her behaviour with the police officers.

She had recently had her kids taken away but that did not excuse her behaviour, she admitted.

Goode had eight previous convictions for 10 offences, none for violence.

A probation report said Goode was "ashamed and embarrassed about her behaviour".

She had four children but social care had been involved due to Goode's drinking and the children were now living with their respective fathers.

At the time of the offence she was living on the streets and was self-medicating with alcohol.

Defending, Mr Stradling said it was "quite a tragic case".

Goode had tried her hardest to regain contact with her children and had enrolled at a local college and was doing voluntary work with Oxfam.

But she had had to move out of her address and had nowhere to turn to so was sleeping on the streets.

She had been homeless for 20 days when the incidents happened, and was "extremely ashamed and disgusted" for what she was responsible for.

She was now residing with her stepfather and was "slowly addressing her alcohol problem", and was willing to work with probation.

But Olga Greyling, chair of magistrates, told Goode: "We have very carefully considered everything, but this is too serious for a financial penalty or a community order. We feel this has crossed the custody threshold."

Goode was jailed for 17 weeks in total and ordered to pay a £122 victim surcharge.