A DRUNKEN Alcester woman scared away shoppers in Stratford town centre by breaking a shop sign, throwing a hobby horse to the ground and urinating in the street.

And a judge a Warwick Crown Court heard that at the time of the incident, Cheryl Adey was already subject to an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) for similar incidents in the town.

But after reading reports which revealed 22-year-old Adey, of Castle Road, Alcester, was suffering from a treatable psychiatric condition, the judge made her subject to a hospital order under the Mental Health Act.

Under the order, Adey will receive treatment at a Solihull hospital until she is considered fit to be discharged.

Adey, who had previous convictions for public order offences, had pleaded guilty to being in breach of a two-year ASBO imposed by Stratford magistrates in March 2003.

Heidi Kubik, prosecuting, said since then there had been a number of breaches of the order for which Adey had appeared before magistrates on three occasions in 2003.

Then in February last year Adey went to the Minories shopping arcade in Stratford with two friends.

"Members of staff in the shops there were very concerned and alarmed by the behaviour of the defendant who was clearly drunk and drinking from a bottle of cider," Miss Kubik said.

She removed balloons from the sign outside the Party Pzazz shop, dropped her trousers and urinated publicly in the street. She then fell on the sign that cost £250 to repair.

Adey, who was laughing and stumbling about, then threw a hobby horse from another shop to the ground. At this point a couple who had been making their way to a shop in the Minories turned and walked away.

When Adey fell again, a man who was with her picked her up and tried to lead her away. But as he did so she lashed out at some flowers outside another shop and kicked a car.

Adey was arrested by police and when questioned, admitted what she had done but claimed she had been sticking to the ASBO and the incident had been a one-off.

Sentencing Adey and imposing a new two-year ASBO, Judge James Pyke told her: "At the age of 22 you now have recorded against you a string of convictions for public order offences.

"The doctors agree you suffer from mental impairment and agree there is reason to believe you would benefit from treatment. Were it not for those medical reports you would be going to prison today for a lengthy period," he added.