A BORDERS woman was aggressive and abusive to paramedics who were trying to assist her at Galashiels Transport Interchange, Jedburgh Sheriff Court has been told.

Jade McCann, 34, of Inchmyre, Kelso, pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on April 24.

Depute fiscal Fiona Hamilton said that at around 3.30pm an ambulance crew was called to the Interchange because a woman required medical assistance.

She continued: "They found the accused inside the building and she seemed to be under the influence of a substance.

"She told the paramedics she was an alcoholic.

"She then turned aggressive towards one of them, calling them abusive names repeatedly.

"The accused then grabbed hold of a defibrillator stating it was her purse and refused to give it back to them.

"She then started on one paramedic in particular calling him obscene names and the witness had to step back to keep a distance from her and she eventually stumbled over and fell to the ground.

"When the police attended she gestured by giving the middle finger to them."

McCann also pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in a neighbourly dispute on September 19 last year, calling a 35-year-week pregnant woman "a fat Irish slag" and threatening to assault her.

Defence lawyer Ed Hulme said there had been neighbour issues at the time and his client had been completely intoxicated at the time.

He added she had no recollection of the incident at the Transport Interchange.

Sheriff John Cook said they were concerning matters and that ambulance personnel, particularly in the current climate, needed the protection of the court.

He explained the offences could easily have merited custody but noted the accused appeared to have taken steps to address her alcohol problem.

Sheriff Cook deferred sentence for three months for good behaviour and indicated that if she was well behaved during that period, the matter could be finally dealt with by unpaid work.