A homeless woman has avoided jail after pleading guilty to shining a laser beam into police officers’ eyes while they were driving.

After downing 15 cans of lager, Amy Homden targeted two officers, one while he was on his way to an emergency.

Despite previous convictions, and although the crime can carry a prison sentence, unemployed Homden was given a community order and ordered to complete a rehabilitation course.

At 8.45pm on Monday, November 9, the 21-year-old shone a green light from the hand held laser pen into a PCSO’s eyes as he drove past her in Mote Road, dazzling him.

Will Bodiam, prosecuting, said when the officer approached her she began shouting and swearing and walked away, so he called for back-up.

At the same time, two police officers were called to a separate emergency and decided not to use their blue lights in Mote Road and nearby Lower Stone Street, as they knew Homden was targeting police vehicles, Mr Bodiam said.

She shone the laser into their car anyway so they pulled over and arrested her.

During Homden’s trial at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court it emerged police had spoken to her the day before her arrest when green and purple laser beams were shone into vehicles from a car she was a passenger in. Homden denied using a laser on this occasion.

Mr Bodiam said Homden showed no remorse and said she would buy another laser pen if hers was confiscated, although she admitted her actions were dangerous.

Defending, June Banfield said: “Her explanation for her actions was quite simply that she was drunk.”

Last month a man in his 30s suffered eyesight damage when a laser pen was pointed at him as he drove his van through Kemsley, Sittingbourne.

Earlier this year a British Airways pilot was partially blinded when a military strength laser was shone into his eye as he came into land at Heathrow Airport, the British Airline Pilots Association revealed.

Probation officer Michael Nicolaides said Homden was the subject of a community order and conditional discharge, both for criminal damage.

He said: “A lot of people get drunk and frustrated but they don’t take a laser light and wave it at police vehicles. The consequences could have been catastrophic.

“She had two cans of lager today and in her view that’s progress and cutting down.”

"This is your opportunity to change your life. Make sure you take it; it might not happen again" - Alan Phipps

Mr Nicolaides did not recommend an alcohol rehabilitation course as he felt she was not willing to engage.

He said the fact she was homeless ruled out a curfew as a punishment and felt she was not emotionally stable enough for unpaid work.

Her solicitor, June Banfield, said she was not yet on benefits so could not pay a fine.

Chairman of the bench Alan Phipps handed Homden a 12-month community order with up to 30 days’ rehabilitation activity and ordered her to pay a £60 victim surcharge and a £180 court charge.

The laser pen will be seized and destroyed.

Mr Phipps said: “This is your opportunity to change your life.

“Make sure you take it; it might not happen again.”