A woman accused of punching a police officer was exonerated when CCTV proved she did nothing of the sort, a court heard.

Emma Parkes, of Phoenix Rise, Brighton, had denied assaulting the constable but the charge was dismissed and Parkes instead pleaded guilty to obstructing a PC at Worthing Magistrates Court on Friday.

Lorna Lee, prosecuting, said police officers were called to a disturbance involving a group of men and women in Chapel Road, Worthing, at 6.50pm on April 12.

She said: "Officers spoke to the defendant's brother. This upset her and during the course of the altercation the lady tapped one of the officers in order to knock certain items out of his hands."

Seval Javitt, mitigating, said: "We wrote to the Crown Prosecution Service on May 12 offering a plea of guilty to obstruction.

"That was refused on the basis that the officer said in his statement he had been punched in the stomach.

"She Parkes always denied that.

"I watched the CCTV with my client and it was clear she had tapped him on the wrist and there was no such attack."

Miss Javitt said Parkes's behaviour in obstructing the officer was "completely out of character and not something she will do again in a hurry."

Parkes, who is unable to work on health grounds and receives incapacity benefit, was given a 12-month conditional discharge by magistrates' chairman John Brook.