A woman with more than 30 convictions on her criminal record has escaped jail for breaching a suspended sentence - after she destroyed two garden gnomes in a supermarket.

Kylie Townsley, of Gameriggs Road, Whitehaven, was convicted of causing actual bodily harm in July 2016 and received a four-month jail term, suspended for two years.

The 29-year-old was brought back to Carlisle Crown Court on Friday for breaching that sentence and damaging property, charges she admitted in magistrates' court.

Beccy McGregor, prosecuting, said: "The allegation is that at 2pm on May 13 the defendant was in Asda in Whitehaven and was refused service because she was drunk. She began to become aggressive."

At this point she kicked over an in store display and knocked over the two garden gnomes, causing them "irreparable damage".

The gnomes would have been sold in the supermarket for a total of £56.

When the police arrived she admitted to them it was wrong to damage the supermarket's property.

The judge, Recorder Philip Curran, was told how Townsley had 31 previous convictions for 56 different offences.

Speaking for Townsley was her lawyer Brendan Burke.

He said: "She offered to pay at the time, she is currently paying other fines and costs and has asked this to be consolidated."

Mr Burke said that apart from this "lapse" Townsley had appeared to have improved her behaviour.

Recorder Curran gave Townsley an 18-month conditional discharge and reminded her that the suspended sentence was still in effect.

"You caused damage to these garden gnomes to the value of £56. I'm going to order you to pay compensation to Asda," the judge said.