A homeless Ipswich woman with 288 previous convictions who threatened to stab a man while he was jet washing a car park has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Chantelle Kerry told the man she was homeless and eating her food before walking towards him with a pair of nail scissors between her knuckles and telling him she would stab him in the neck if he got her wet.

He was concerned for his safety and sought refuge in a nearby building, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Three days later, police officers who searched Kerry at a police station found half of a broken pair of scissors, said Eleanor Gwilym, prosecuting.

On another occasion, 42-year-old Kerry had dug her nails into a police officer’s hand and she had also kicked another police officer on his upper leg.

Miss Gwilym said Kerry had also been drunk and disorderly at a Tesco store in Ipswich.

Kerry of no fixed address admitted common assault, three offences of assaulting a police officer, two offences of using threatening words and behaviour, three offences of being drunk and disorderly, having an article with a blade, possessing cannabis, breach of a suspended prison sentence and breaching a conditional discharge.

Benedict Peers for Kerry said she had been in custody for two weeks and had given up alcohol by going "cold turkey".

Sentencing her via prison video link to a six month prison sentence suspended for two years, Judge David Pugh said he was giving Kerry a chance to stay sober and to keep out of trouble and warned her that if she breached the order she was unlikely to be given another chance.

He ordered that an earlier four-month prison sentence suspended for 24 months which was made in April 2023 should continue.