A 5ft teenage yob walked out of court with a referral order on Friday after pleading guilty to assaulting several police officers.

The 15-year-old girl attacked two officers who were trying to arrest her friends on September 2 last year.

During the attack she laughed as she punched a police officer in the face to stop him arresting her friend.

While on bail for that offence, just two days later, officers were called to Fell Road in Croydon town centre.

Officers, who knew the teenager and were aware of her bail conditions not to enter the town, then attempted to arrest her but she lashed out again.

She spat at one officer and when taken to Croydon Police Station she again hit out two designated detention officers.

She kicked one in the groin and another in the leg.

The youth was then arrested again on January 20 at Morley's Chicken in South End Croydon for using threatening words.

She walked free from court and was ordered to pay compensation.

Sentencing the youth, District Judge Emma Arbuthnot said: “You've got a troubled family background, there is no doubt about that.

“If you were 16 I would have immediately considered detaining you. You need to watch out.

“The older you get the more serious it becomes.”

She was also ordered to pay compensation to her victims totalling £65 and her mother was given a nine month parenting order.