A WOMAN took off all her clothes in the A&E department at University Hospital in Ayr, a court has heard.

Laura Cowley kicked and headbutted walls at the hospital after undressing during the incident last month.

The 32-year-old appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court for sentencing after admitting causing fear and alarm during the incident on August 16.

Despite hearing that Cowley had a lengthy criminal record, and had failed to show up for appointments with social workers, a sheriff opted not to send her to prison – but gave her a warning that she faces being locked up if she doesn’t stop offending.

Cowley, of Hosiery Court in Troon, had previously admitted her guilt for the hospital incident – committed while she was the subject of an undertaking to appear in court.

She had also admitted stealing a quantity of food and drink from the Spar store in Troon’s  Logan Drive on March 9.

In a separate incident she shouted, swore, made derogatory comments to police and resisted arrest, flailing and tensing her arms and refusing to walk, in Elba Street, Ayr on August 22 last year.

When she appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court last week, defence solicitor John Gallagher said he had warned his client of the difficult situation she was in given her record.

He urged Sheriff Desmond Leslie to giver a community-based sentence with a requirement to attend addiction treatment.

Sheriff Leslie told Cowley: "You have been in custody before, so you know what to expect. You have to stop offending - your behaviour in the hospital for example.

"People have tried to give you help and you have not turned up at appointments. That is an insult to me.

“If the only way to help is send you to jail that is what you leave yourself open to."

Cowley was placed on a community payback order which will see her supervised by social workers for 18 months.

As a condition of the order she must engage with addiction support services.