A WOMAN whose loud and aggressive behaviour prompted a neighbour to call police to her then-home in Dumbarton has avoided a jail sentence.

Shona McPhail appeared at the town’s sheriff court on Friday for sentencing after pleading guilty to charges of shouting, swearing and behaving in an aggressive fashion, struggling with police and trying to hit an officer on the head in an incident at a property in Ardoch Crescent on November 7, 2016.

Emma Thomson, prosecuting, told the court one of McPhail’s neighbours had called police after hearing her shouting and swearing within the property.

Officers attended the scene and heard McPhail claim she had been locked into her home. A council joiner was called to give police access to the house.

When police got in they found the 47-year-old asleep in the living room – but when the officers woke McPhail up, she became abusive and verbally aggressive towards them, shouting “I’ve done f****** nothing wrong”.

McPhail’s solicitor, Kenny McGowan, said his client, who now lives at Howie Crescent in Rosneath, had a record of similar previous convictions, but had been out of trouble for some years prior to the incident.

“Drink was the underlying trouble in her past offending,” Mr McGowan said.

“She took action during those years to address her difficulties, but alcohol was again a factor in this case.

“She was frank that her conduct let herself down.”

Sheriff John Hamilton ordered McPhail to do 100 hours of unpaid work by February 2019 and placed her under social workers’ supervision for 12 months.

He added: “This is a direct alternative to custody.”