A DRUNKEN woman who threatened to ‘slice and dice’ a woman in front of children leaving a school has been jailed.

Drug addict Claire Marie Garrard, 29, grabbed Katie Kirkby by the throat at her home, so she was struggling for breath, and had announced: “I’m Claire Garrard and I’m going to slice you up.”

Garrard had caused a disturbance on Oak Street in Burnley and had been aggressive, shouting and swearing as children were leaving Ightenhill Primary School.

She ended up getting arrested and the attack on Ms Kirkby then came to light, Pennine magistrates were told.

The court had earlier been told police were called to a disturbance at 3.30pm.

Officers saw Garrard at a house, talking to a woman and shouting and pointing at her. They asked what the problem was and the defendant replied: “Why don't you ask her?” She was aggressive and shouting and swearing and was arrested.

After Garrard's arrest, Ms Kirkby said she had been assaulted. She told police Garrard had been banging on her front door, she opened it, her TV was knocked over and she was grabbed by the throat.

She was locked up for 70 days after she earlier pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour and assault by beating, after her latest outburst on July 1.

The defendant, of Sylvan Drive, Burnley, was told by the bench chairman: “We understand that you have drug and mental health issues, but we can find no other alternative but a custodial sentence.”

Garrard has 35 offences on her record and last year was sentenced at Burnley Crown Court after she pestered a 70-year-old wheelchair user for money.