HOUSING association workers locked themselves in a community centre to escape from a woman brandishing a knife, a court has heard.

Coral Fishpool, of no fixed abode, appeared at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court charged with possessing a steak knife in Bill Rickaby Drive, Newmarket, on November 18 last year.

The court heard how the 30-year-old, who admitted the offence, waved the knife at Orbit Housing Association workers Terry Hardy and Kristina Boulton after they tried to evict her from a property in the road just before noon.

Wayne Ablett, prosecuting, said Fishpool waved the knife in the car park near some flats, saying “Kristina, look at this”.

Because of her threatening behaviour the workers felt for their safety and ran to a nearby community centre, locking themselves inside before contacting the police.

Mr Ablett said the police arrived soon after and spotted Fishpool walking in George Lambton Avenue. She swore at police, before walking to a friend’s house where she handed the knife over to her friend and was then arrested.

Declan Gallagher, mitigating, said Fishpool had suffered abuse as a child and had been in care. He said she suffered from a number of mental health issues, with the main problem being long-standing depression.

He said she had been in a succession of “unfortunate relationships”, with her latest to Sean Perkins, who she had been living with in Bill Rickaby Drive, not being a great improvement.

Mr Gallagher said Mr Perkins had a number of problems of his own, including diabetes and epilepsy, and Fishpool was his carer.He said while the housing association workers obviously experienced genuine fear, the “threat wasn’t towards them”.

“It was a non-specific threat,” he said. “She has a history, my client has a long history of prolific self-harm.” He added how the reality was the most likely victim would have been herself.

Fishpool was committed to the crown court for sentencing following the case on Thursday. Until that hearing she has been remanded in custody.