Emma KnightsA woman who admitted being drunk while in charge of a child has today said she is 'not a monster'.Sonia Harrison, 27, of Drayton Road, Norwich, said she was 'ashamed and very remorseful' after she appeared before Norwich magistrates on Thursday.Emma Knights

A woman who admitted being drunk while in charge of a child has today said she is 'not a monster'.

Sonia Harrison, 27, of Drayton Road, Norwich, said she was 'ashamed and very remorseful' after she appeared before Norwich magistrates on Thursday.

The court heard that Harrison had pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of a child and she had also pleaded guilty to resisting a police officer in execution of duty.

Philip Charnley, prosecuting, said that on April 2 a member of the public had phoned the police after seeing Harrison crouched at the roadside near Grapes Hill, in Norwich, with a child. When the police arrived they found her to be drunk.

Mr Charnley said when Harrison was taken to a police station she resisted arrest and had to be handcuffed.

Emma Cattermull, defending, said Harrison had pleaded guilty to the two offences at the first opportunity, and that she has also sought help from the Matthew Project which helps people with alcohol issues.

Also at Norwich Magistrates Court on Thursday, Harrison was found guilty of assaulting James Yeates following a disagreement between the two of them at her Drayton Road home on March 21. Harrison had pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Giving evidence on Thursday, Mr Yeates said Harrison had pushed him in the back and screamed 'get out of my house,' and that she had grabbed him by the lapels of his polo shirt, pulling him and pushing him to get him out of her house.

He said he had had to push Harrison under her chin to get her to let go of him, and that as a result of Harrison grabbing his polo shirt he had suffered a slight reddening on the back of his neck.

Harrison told the court that she had told Mr Yeates she did not want to talk about the subject of the disagreement and that they should speak through their solicitors instead.

Miss Cattermull, defending, said Harrison had suffered a split lip during the altercation, and that Harrison had said she had been acting in self defence because she had been trying to remove Mr Yeates from her property.

Kathleen Przyborski, chairman of the bench, said while the magistrates could find no proof of Harrison pushing Mr Yeates in the back, Harrison did assault Mr Yeates when she grabbed his shirt.

Harrison was granted bail with conditions, and she is due to be sentenced for all three offences at Norwich Magistrates Court on June 29

Outside the court, in relation to being found guilty of assault, Harrison said: 'I was acting in self defence.'

With regards to the two charges she pleaded guilty to, Harrison said: 'I am ashamed of being found drunk. I am not proud of it and I am very remorseful. I am not a monster and I deeply regret what happened.'