A 22-YEAR-OLD avoided prison after pleading guilty to seven different offences.

Bethany Armstrong, of Newton Street, Millom, was also ordered to pay almost £1,000 after the string of offences.

On December 23, 2016, while admitted to the Dova unit at Furness General Hospital, she caused £301 worth of damage.

Armstrong also pleaded guilty of being drunk and disorderly at FGH on July 22, as well as causing a disturbance on NHS premises.

The court was told Armstrong was drinking from a bottle of wine, before lying in doorways in the hospital.

There were also two charges of assault by beating, and one of assaulting a police officer on the same day.

After being arrested, Armstrong went on to damage two police issue safety suits.

Lee Dacre, prosecuting, said: "Because of her, there have been £4,800-worth of call-outs for the ambulance service to deal with, with an average time of over an hour.

"She knows what she is doing and she is just attention seeking."

Armstrong had no previous convictions before her appearance in court on August 23.

Karen Templeton, defending, told the court: "This is someone with significant mental health problems and this is shown by the fact that she was in a psychiatric unit when the December offence occurred.

"This is a young woman with mental health problems and these offences took place after she had taken a great deal of medication."

Armstrong pleaded guilty to the offences on August 16 and was sentenced at Furness Magistrates' Court on August 23.

She was given a 60-day concurrent prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, for the three assaults, and a 30-day concurrent sentence for the criminal damage to police property.

District judge Gerald Chalk said: "These incidents occurred on NHS premises and your behaviour has been appalling.

"You assaulted three people who were all providing a public service and caused a great deal of mayhem.

"If you didn't have your own issues, I would be sending you straight to prison."

A three-year criminal behaviour order was also made, preventing her from calling NHS Direct or the emergency services, except in a genuine emergency, and from encouraging others to contact them on her behalf.

Armstrong was also ordered to pay a total of £909 in compensation and court costs of £85.