A woman who bit a police officer's arm had to be pepper-sprayed to stop her, a court has heard.

Police were called to Chantelle Cast’s Gorleston home following an incident thought to have involved neighbours.

Norwich Magistrates Court heard an officer arrived to find Cast being “extremely abusive” and was shouting and swearing.

The officer called for back up due to her behaviour before two officers went into the address after Cast.

Jennifer Scarpenter, prosecuting, said police tried to handcuff Cast who then bit one of the officers.

She said the defendant bit the officer’s forearm “very hard causing him to shout for her to stop”.

The other officer used peeper-spray on Cast to “get her to release her bite on his arm”.

Cast was arrested for assaulting a police officer following the incident which happened at about 11.15pm on June 16 this year.

She was put in the prison van which had the rear door left open to let air in as she had been sprayed.

But Cast was still being abusive to officers and spat towards one of the officers, hitting them in the arm.

After being taken to a police cell she again spat at an officer, hitting him in the leg.

Miss Scarpenter said it was a prolonged incident lasting over a few hours in which she used a weapon, namely her teeth.

Cast, of Cambridge Avenue, Gorleston, appeared at Norwich Magistrates Court on Wednesday (July 14) when she admitted two counts of assault of an emergency worker and one count of assault by beating of an emergency worker.

She also pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive words and behaviour.

Rob New, mitigating, said both he and his client accepted these were “serious matters”.

He said the officers who attended “shouldn’t have to put up with that” adding that she was remorseful and accepted her behaviour was inappropriate.

Mr New said she was a lady with a number of problems, including being registered disabled due to severe hearing loss.

He also said she has been a victim of serious domestic violence and urged the court to adjourn sentencing for a full pre-sentence report to be carried out.

Anne Barker, chair of the bench of magistrates, adjourned sentencing until August 11 at Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court for an “all options” report.