"POLICE officers are not a taxi service" a Ballingry woman has been warned after she asked for a lift back home on a night out on Dunfermline.

Sheriff Charles Macnair made the comment when sentencing Kim Ford, who became threatening to police officers who wouldn't take her home.

Ford, 31, of Martin Crescent, Ballingry, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

She previously admitted that on November 4, at Guildhall Street, Dunfermline, and Dunfermline Police Station she behaved in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm in that she did repeatedly shout, swear, utter threats of violence to police officers, utter offensive remarks police officers, utter offensive remarks and struggle with police officers.

Depute fiscal, Alistair McDermott, explained that officers were on patrol in Dunfermline town centre in an unmarked vehicle but were in police uniform.

At around 12.10am Ford approached the car intoxicated and asked the officers if she could have a lift home because she had no money.

The officers told her they couldn't give her a lift but advised her how to get home.

It was this stage that she became very aggressive and shouted, "You're f***ing useless, you are no f***ing help".

"At that point there were dozens of people coming out of the pubs and clubs, going out about their business," Mr McDermott said.

Ford was told if she didn't calm down she would be arrested, she replied, "f***ing lift me then".

A small struggled ensued at that stage, the Court heard.

After she was taken to the police station she became particularly aggressive to one officer, making violent threats.

Defence solicitor, Alexander Flett, said his client had gone out with friends in Dunfermline but had become separated from them and had no phone or purse.

"She asked for assistance but thought they were less than helpful," Mr Flett said.

"But she entirely accepts that she shouldn't have behaved in the way she did."

Sheriff Charles Macnair said: "Police officers are not a taxi service.

"It's no surprise that they could not help. They had duties to perform in the town centre and your behaviour meant that they could not perform those duties.

"They had to spend time dealing with your behaviour.

"You made threats towards them and having regard to your record, it's known that you are capable of using violence."

The Sheriff imposed a community payback order of 101 hours of unpaid work.