A WOMAN armed herself with a hammer in order to attack and injure police officers, a court heard.

Jamie Sawyer, prosecuting, told the jury Janine Justin grabbed a hammer after police arrived close to where she lived and began “gesticulating” towards them.

Justin, 47, of Ward Close, Laindon denies possession of an offensive weapon, with her trial opening at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

The alleged incident happened in Ward Close on May 5.

Mr Sawyer told the court Justin intended to injure the officers with a hammer she was brandishing after a youth was chased from Canvey to the road on a stolen moped.

Mr Sawyer showed the jury video footage of the incident.

He said: “She appears to go into her home and comes out with this hammer and is seen waving it around.

“The prosecution say she is gesticulating to the police officers.

“A number of police units attended and arrested the youth and Justin approaches the officers with the hammer and became aggressive to the police.

“We say she went to get it to inflict injury to the police officers.

“One of the officers managed to take it off her and she is wrestled to the ground and arrested.

“She was taken to the police station and it was her chance to give her version of events, but she answered no comment to every question.”

Mr Sawyer showed the jury two short videos, one taken from a helicopter and another taken from a mobile phone.

He told the jury Justin came out of her home with the hammer as the officers were about to arrest a youth.

He said: “She is outside a significant time with the hammer.

“It is a weighty large item.

“You may think it’s difficult for someone to forget they were carrying it around.

“Our submission is she had it to inflict injury on the officers, her behaviour before and after the incident shows her intention.”

The jury were told that before the incident with Justin began, police were concerned about a youth riding a moped in a manner descried as “atrocious driving” at the court.

The youth had been to a vigil after the tragic death of Denny Richardson, 17, who died on Thursday, May 2 following a collision on Leigh Road which also injured another youth.

Justin denies the weapon offence. The trial, at Basildon Crown Court, continues.