‘Gnome’ woman ordered from court

Margaret O’Brien ducked down below the top of the witness box and told startled magistrates, who could not see her, “I’m a gnome,” before bobbing up again.

O’Brien then claimed she had been trying to walk from the beach at Blackpool to Ireland before a police officer arrested her

She constantly interrupted the prosecutor, stating what was being said was wrong, and shouted out. O’Brien, 36, of Alexandra Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

She was sentenced in her absence and given a six months conditional discharge and ordered to pay a £150 court charge plus £15 victims’ surcharge.