A WOMAN has been sentenced by the courts after deliberately ripping the number plate from a police car.

Olivia Pennington intentionally damaged the vehicle belonging to Cheshire Police in the early hours of the morning.

She appeared before Warrington Magistrates’ Court to learn her fate after being charged with criminal damage.

Vincent Yip, prosecuting the case, explained how the incident occurred on December 2.

Footage taken at approximately 6.50am that morning from a CCTV camera shows a woman repeatedly throwing a plastic bottle at a parked police car on Bridge Street in Warrington town centre.

After failing to damage the car with the bottle, the defendant proceeds to rip the number plate off the back of the car before fleeing the scene.

Cheshire Police released the CCTV footage and launched a public appeal for information to help identify the woman in the photo.

The incident was captured on CCTV cameras

The incident was captured on CCTV cameras

Pennington was identified following the appeal and later charged with criminal damage, to which she pleaded guilty.

Pennington, of Arden in Widnes, was ordered to pay a total of £370.35.

This is broken down into a fine of £169, compensation of £13.35, costs to the Crown Prosecution Service of £120 and a statutory surcharge to fund victim services of £68.

Speaking during the CCTV appeal, sergeant Graham Robinson said: “The CCTV footage clearly shows the suspect attempting to damage the police car.

“She is repeatedly throwing a bottle at the car, before ripping the number plate off the back of the vehicle.

“Her behaviour was totally unacceptable, and her deliberate act of criminal damage resulted in one of our cars being taken off the road for repairs.”