A FORMER resident at the Salvation Army hostel in Blackburn spat at a member of staff when he refused to give her a cup of tea or let her use the toilet.

Blackburn magistrates heard the victim was imposing rules introduced because of Covid-19 but ended up being put at risk himself.

Stacey Louise Bell, 42, of Preston Old Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Soloman Peters. She was fined £80 and ordered to pay £100 compensation and £34 victim surcharge.

Joseph Broadsmith, prosecuting, said the incident happened in June. Mr Peters was working at the hostel when he saw Bell emerge from the residential area at 8.30am. She was not a resident and was not meant to be in the hostel.

"She asked to use the toilet and she asked for a brew and it was explained to her that they could not do that anymore," said Mr Braodsmith. "She became more and more agitated, shouting at the complainant."

Mr Broadsmith said Bell initially walked away but then returned and spat through a gap in the screen around the reception desk, catching Mr Peters on the side of the head.

Gareth Price, defending, said at the time of the incident his client had been street homeless for about two years.

"Because of the changes to the rules because of the pandemic the staff were no handing out cups of tea or allowing the toilets to be used by anyone but residents," said Mr Price.

He said in July Bell had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act and spent the next six months in Royal Blackburn Hospital.

"She remains under the care of the mental health services and I hope you will take that into account when sentencing," said Mr Price.