A WOMAN who spat at a police officer’s face after being caught more than twice the drink-drive limit has been convicted.

Officers on patrol on the A270 Old Shoreham Road in Southwick on July 2 spotted a Renault Megane being driven with two deflated tyres.

They signalled for the vehicle to stop and the driver – Tracey Coles, of Kingsland Close, Shoreham – was required to take a roadside breath test, which she failed.

The unemployed 48-year-old was arrested, at which point she became aggressive and used a number of expletives directed towards the two arresting officers.

While handcuffed, Coles spat at one of the officers, narrowly missing his face.

She was subsequently charged with assaulting an emergency worker and driving with 75mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in her system. The legal limit is 35mcg.

At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on August 5, she was disqualified from driving for 17 months.

She was also ordered to pay a £240 fine, £85 costs, a £34 victim surcharge and £50 compensation to the officer.

Coles was among 279 motorists arrested in Sussex during a dedicated crackdown on drink and drug-drivers.

The campaign ran from June 11 to July 11, and was in addition to routine roads policing duties.

A large proportion of the arrests (79) were in relation to an unlicensed music event in Steyning.

Police carried out dedicated patrols to tackle one of the five most common causes of fatal and serious injury collisions, through education, engagement and enforcement.

Of the 279 arrests, 55 people have so far been convicted.