A WOMAN who posted abusive messages to someone on Facebook while sitting in a police custody suite has appeared in court.

Katie Bedford threatened to “stab” and “kill” someone on the social networking site while she was visiting her brother at Fulford Road Police Station.

He had been arrested on suspicion of assaulting her Facebook friend Tom Cookson, the court heard.

Cathy Turnbull, prosecuting, said Bedford went as a visitor to the custody section where she used her smart phone to make a posting on Mr Cookson’s Facebook wall containing the words: “You .....grass”, “I am going to stab you” and “I will kill you”.

Her brother was released without charge, but Bedford, 20, of Byland Avenue, off Huntington Road, York, was charged and appeared before York magistrates where she pleaded guilty to sending a menacing message on February 4.

She was ordered to do 100 hours’ unpaid work and 12 months’ supervision.

Miss Turnbull said the posting made Mr Cookson anxious, particularly as it could be seen by all his Facebook friends.

For Bedford, Sally Howard said: “Using a social network is instant. It was done in the heat of the moment.

“Unfortunately, you cannot withdraw it. It’s not like writing a letter where you can think about it and end up not sending it.”

Two weeks earlier there had been an incident at Mr Cookson’s house that led to his arrest on suspicion of assaulting Bedford.

The court heard she did not want to take the case further and Mr Cookson was released without charge. However, her brother confronted Mr Cookson about the incident and was arrested himself.

Bedford had intended to make Mr Cookson anxious and distressed but she was remorseful for her actions, the court heard.

At the time, she had been living in shared accommodation and wasn’t happy. As a result, she had been drinking too much. She had since moved back to live with her mother, had stopped drinking and was looking for a job.