A SCHOOL employee has been handed a suspended prison sentence for assaulting a child and an older woman.

Emma Squires, 41, of Manor Road, Benfleet, was due to stand trial for assaulting a minor, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

She was also charged with a second count of assault and had initially denied both counts.

The court heard Squires had been drinking wine and assaulted the child after a confrontation.

She pulled the adult by the hair after she had tried to intervene, before shoving her, leaving her with serious injuries.

Squires, who is employed as support staff in reception classes at Hadleigh Infant and Nursery School, changed her plea to guilty only days before the trial which was due to start at Basildon Magistrates’ Court.

The incident, which happened on January 4 this year, did not take place at the school.

Appearing at the same court on July 26, magistrates handed her a four-week sentence for assaulting the child and a six-week sentence for assaulting the adult both to run concurrently and suspended for 12 months.

The court heard mitigation that Squires had taken steps to address problems with alcohol and this was taken into account when determining the appropriate sentence.

The school, which is based in Bilton Road, Hadleigh, previously confirmed they were aware of the charges and have said Squires is not currently working at the school while the matter was ongoing.

However, no one was available to comment on the sentencing hearing and it not known if Squires will return to work at the school in September.

Squires was also ordered by magistrates to complete 30 days worth of rehabilitation activities and 160 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.

She must also pay £100 compensation and £115 to victim services.

She was not ordered to pay court costs.