A woman with mental health difficulties assaulted police officers on a beach after they came to try and stop her setting herself on fire, a court has heard.

Kirsty Retallick, 29, was on the beach at Great Yarmouth trying to set fire to the leggings she was wearing with a lighter.

Norwich Crown Court heard police received a call in relation to a concern for safety of Retallick and went to the beach to try and help her.

Eastern Daily Press: Norwich Crown CourtNorwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)Samantha Lowther, prosecuting, said Retallick who had "a teddy bear in her mouth" had been "trying to set fire to her feet" when police attended on April 5 last year.

She said the defendant was "growling" and had been "extremely aggressive".

Officers kicked sand over the flames and lighter to prevent Retallick from harming herself but the defendant was "resisting" the officers and would not hand over her lighter.

One of the officers was assaulted by Retallick who grabbed her finger and also dug her fingers into the officer's leg.

A second officer was also assaulted by Retallick and was winded after falling back having been kicked.

Retallick, of Mousehold Avenue, Norwich, appeared at court for sentence on Tuesday after admitting two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

She also admitted possession of cannabis, found in a kinder egg, following an earlier incident when police were called about a concern for safety regarding Retallick in Yarmouth on April 5 2023. 

Andrew Oliver, mitigating, said Retallick was "sorry for the way she had behaved" but insisted she was "clearly unwell".

Retallick, who has 20 previous convictions for 85 offences, also admitted being in breach of a suspended sentence order imposed in June 2022 related to 15 assaults on emergency workers at Hellesdon Hospital.

Recorder Nicola Fitches said Retallick had a "history" of repeated attacks against emergency workers who are working to keep their communities safe and, in this case, the defendant by "trying to stop you harming yourself or worse" by stopping her from "setting fire to yourself".

But in imposing a 12-month community order, with a 12-month mental health treatment requirement, Recorder Fitches said she accepted the offences were linked to her mental health disorder.

Retallick was also ordered to do five days Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR).