A COUPLE found to be drunk while in charge of a young child have been spared an immediate jail sentence.

As exclusively revealed by the Daily Echo today, concerned residents spotted Karl Hayden and his partner Deborah Hambrook staggering along Shakespeare Road in Eastleigh while pushing a buggy.

Officers arrived on the scene but the drunk pair began shouting and swearing and community support officer Rhys McCarthy was pushed in the chest by Hayden while Hambrook, lashed out at a female officer, punching, kicking and pulling her hair so hard a clump came out, the court was told.

They appeared at Southampton Magistrates' Court this afternoon to be sentenced.

Hayden, 38, of Porteous Crescent, Chandler’s Ford, previously pleaded guilty to being found drunk in a public place, and assaulting a police officer.

Hambrook, unemployed, of the same address, also admitted being drunk in a public place and three counts of assaulting police officers, one of which was a detention officer when she was remanded in custody at a station the court heard.

Hambrook was given a 16-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months.

She was also given a 12-month supervision order and told to attend a women's programme.

Hayden was given a 12-month community order with supervision.

They were ordered to pay compensation totalling £300.