A WOMAN who threatened council officers during a month of anti-social behaviour has received a suspended prison sentence.

Sarah Allan, 21, twice forced the probation service to evacuate its York offices by smashing its fire alarms, York magistrates heard.

She also caused problems at City of York Council's West Offices, where she threatened to burn down an officer's house with his family inside, the Jobcentre in Stonebow and Howe Hill Hostel in Acomb, as she committed 11 offences in a month.

Her solicitor Kristian Cavanagh said several agencies were willing to work together and try and sort her out. She has 150 previous convictions and psychiatric and drink problems.

"Perhaps for the first time, this defendant is willing to work with all the agencies today to address the reasons she has these issues," he said.

Magistrates gave her a 12-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months on condition she stays out of trouble, she does 40 days' rehabilitation activities to tackle her alcohol, mental health and anger management problems, lives at the YACRO Women's Centre where she will be expected to observe its rules including being in by a certain time each evening, and will be supervised by the probation service. She must also pay £150 court costs and a £80 statutory surcharge.

Allan, of no fixed address, who has been in custody since her final arrest on May 11, pleaded guilty to four charges of criminal damage and one of threatening to cause criminal damage, two of assaulting police officers called by staff to deal with her anti-social behaviour, two public order offences and one each of being drunk and disorderly and theft of razors and razor blades from Morrison's Foss Islands Road store.

Kathryn Reeve, prosecuting, said Allan went to the probation offices on Lowther Street, despite not having an appointment on April 7 and April 13, and on both occasions when asked to leave, she broke a fire alarm.

On April 29, she caused a disturbance at West Offices when she tried to get somewhere to live and was again asked to leave because she didn't have an appointment. On May 5, she refused to leave the Jobcentre in Stonebow and was so abusive she was arrested.

She damaged a window at the hostel and at her sister's home on separate occasions.