A violent thief who targeted shops across North Yorkshire during a months-long crime spree has been jailed.

Kirsty McInerney, 37, operated on her own and with two men as she stole alcohol, food and e-cigarettes from shops in Malton, Norton and Scarborough, York Magistrates' Court heard.

During a shoplifting raid on Marks and Spencer in Norton on July 7 she and one man filled a basket with food which they threw to an accomplice waiting outside on a bicycle, said Fiona Newcombe, prosecuting.

McInerney and her accomplice in the shop were arrested at the scene and she struggled so violently, officers had to restrain her on the floor. As they did so, she used her knee to hit one of them on the leg, causing pain but no injury. The cyclist was arrested later after he had disposed of the basket and its contents.

McInerney later dodged bail when she should have appeared before magistrates to answer for her crimes and was arrested on a bench warrant.

McInerney, of Trinity Road, Scarborough, pleaded guilty to seven charges of theft, one of assaulting a police emergency worker and one of failure to answer bail and was jailed for 22 weeks. She must pay £245.15 compensation including £100 to the police officer.

Cyclist William Needham, 33, of Wold Terrace, Leavening, south of Malton, pleaded guilty to one charge of theft and one failure to answer bail. He was given a 12-month community order with 30 days’ rehabilitative activities and six months’ drug rehabilitation and banned from the Marks and Spencer store for 12 months. He must pay a £114 statutory surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

A third defendant, Neil Needham, 36, of Trinity Road, Scarborough, is wanted on warrant after failing to attend court. He is charged with four thefts, allegedly committed with McInerney including the one at Marks and Spencer.

McInerney’s solicitor Chris McGrogan said she had a problem that meant that her knee “popped out” from time to time causing her to make a reflex movement. That was how the police officer had been hit, he said.

She stole because she took drugs and drank alcohol and had had no money because she had had problems with her benefits.

“A lot of the shop thefts were in order to let her survive,” he said.

For Needham, Sean Wilson said he took heroin and when he took drugs he could be exploited by others.

Ms Newcombe said McInerney stole alcohol worth £15.74 from Tyke 2000 in Norton on April 14, alcohol worth £36.87 from the same shop on June 24, e-cigs worth £47.92 from Morrisons in Malton on June 27 and pet food from the same shop on July 5. On August 2, she stole alcohol worth £8 from a Scarborough garage and on August 12, she stole candles and other items from B&M in Scarborough.