A WHITCHURCH woman was fined in her absence for a drunken and disorderly episode outside a cheese factory in the town.

Emma Crowder, 39 and of Oak Tree Way, failed to attend Telford Magistrates Court on Wednesday, September 14 charged with being drunk and disorderly in a public place, but magistrates accepted a request from prosecutor Sara Beddow to proceed to prove the charge.

The court heard that on July 15 this year, police were called to the Nantwich Cheese Company Ltd on the Waymills Industrial Estate after reports that the defendant had been throwing items at the business.

Police Constable Joanne Kettle, based at Market Drayton station, said that she had been called to the incident and said she and fellow officers were forced to restrain her while she was being arrested.

She added that the defendant, who had been drinking heavily, had gone to see a friend who worked at the factory.

PC Kettle said: "I was at Market Drayton and at around 3.50pm, was on duty and was asked to attend the Nantwich Cheese Company in Whitchurch as a member of public, who I later found to be Emma Crowder, was extremely intoxicated and throwing things.

"PC Alan Ambrose was also there and staff from the factory were too.

"Emma was shouting that she had been stabbed by her ex-boyfriend and pointed to two superficial wounds.

"It was clear that she was clearly intoxicated and was staggering around, and it was reported that she was carrying a bottle of Irn Bru with vodka.

"Factory workers said that she was throwing things but had not caused damage.

"She said she was there to speak to a friend, who she pointed out and that friend told officers that this was not out of character and she would binge drink.

"It was reported that she had gone through some recent personal heartache and at 4.18pm she was arrested.

"She continued to struggle against officers."

Magistrates heard that the defendant had previous convictions for being drunk and disorderly, and was also the subject of a community order as recently as December last year.

They accepted the prosecution case and fined Crowder £660.

She was ordered to pay costs of £150 and also a victim surcharge of £264, paying £1,074 overall.