A BASINGSTOKE mother beat up a group of teenagers in an alcohol-fuelled brawl whilst passers-by looked on in horror, a court has been told.

Victoria Catherine O'Brien, who was so drunk in the "frenzied" attack that she has no recollection of the events, boasted about having a knife in her bag during the ten minute fracas on Alton high street in June.

One girl was pinned up against a wall by O'Brien, whilst another was tackled to the ground and had her some of her hair pulled out.

She was jailed for 20 weeks at a court hearing on Friday morning, after the judge said she "indiscriminately attacked" a group of children and "must have caused them considerable distress".

O'Brien, of Fullbrook Drive, had been involved in an argument with a man outside the Iceland store on Saturday, June 5 at around 6pm, when a crowd gathered, prosecutor Isabel Delamere told Winchester Crown Court.

"[One of the victims] sees a male and female outside Iceland shouting and screaming at each other," she continued.

"A group of young kids had congregated and it became a bit of a spectator sport."

The pair then turned on the group, Ms Delamere said, with O'Brien shouting that she had a knife in her bag, and chasing the teenagers.

In one attack, a girl had been driving through the town when she stopped to talk to some friends. O'Brien dragged her out of her car, tackled her to the ground and pulled her hair, the court was told.

"One of the witnesses saw hair on the floor, and [she] was grazed and bruised and had a lump on her arm," Ms Delamere said about the victim's injuries.

She added that the 30-year-old had also shouted "grab one of the girls", pinned one against a wall, and had punched and slapped some of the group.

In all, O'Brien had pleaded guilty to four counts of assault by beating, and one count of affray.

The prosecutor added that the woman had a long history of offending, and had been in breach of a conditional discharge for battery at the time of the brawl.

"It went on for about ten minutes according to people’s best estimates," she continued. "People are scratched and bashed and battered, and there is some fear or distress. It is in a busy public area, as well as children [being present]."

Defending, Stephen Garbett said that the defendant "could not understand or comprehend" committing these offences, saying she had no recollection but "immediately accepted it" when shown video footage.

He added that she was under the influence of alcohol at the time.

"She was disgusted and embarrassed with what has happened. These are shocking incidents and we can’t move away from that in the slightest.

"It is something that has had a profound impact on the victims and on Miss O'Brien as well."

He encouraged Recorder Roger Harris to suspend any prison sentence, saying that she can go "significant periods" without getting in trouble "when she gets her life sorted and has the support she needs".

"I invite you to impose a sentence that does punish O'Brien, but also in a way that helps her get her life on track," he said.

But Recorder Harris said that the incident was too serious to not result in an immediate prison sentence.

He said: "I look at the criteria in terms of suspension and whilst I accept that there is some prospect of rehabilitation, however again, this was an incident involving teenage children in a high street in which you indiscriminately attacked them and must have caused them considerable distress.

"The appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody."

O'Brien, who was emotional throughout the hearing but sobbed uncontrollably when being escorted into custody, was jailed for a total of 20 weeks.