A drunk woman punched and kicked her neighbour and then dragged her by her hair along the floor.

The victim only managed to escape the ordeal by dragging herself into a lift as attacker Ellie Alldis shouted at and confronted her over an argument when they were neighbours in Ashford.

The neighbour could tell she was under the influence of alcohol and told Alldis to talk to her when she was sober, but the 20-year-old flew into a rage and began to attack her, punching and kicking her to the ground.

Alldis, of Folkestone, then dragged the woman by the hair out of her flat and was later charged with assault by beating.

She initially denied the allegation but on the day of her trial in November, she changed her plea to guilty.

Sentencing was adjourned for a pre-sentencing report to be carried out on her.

She returned to Folkestone Magistrates' Court on January 11 to be sentenced. The court heard the offence took place in October 2020 when Alldis was 18.

Alldis, who has now become a mother, had previous convictions for assault and had in fact been jailed for 18 months for an affray and two offences of causing actual bodily harm, the court heard.

District Judge Justin Barron was told Alldis had been released early on tag but was still being supervised by probation until July 2022 when the supervision ended.

James Nichols prosecuting said: "She punched and kicked her and then dragged her by her hair out of her flat. She managed to escape to a nearby lift, but clumps of her hair had been pulled out."

The judge also heard from probation officers who said Alldis had a lot of emotional baggage and had used alcohol to cope with it, but no longer mixed with the peers she used to.

Judge Barron also heard Alldis had now moved from the area and was now living in supported housing in Folkestone and that since having a her daughter, she'd turned her life around and was a different person.

The court was told Allis has reduced the amount of alcohol she was consuming and had not committed any further offences.

Judge Barron said Alldis had an unenviable record and that she'd carried out a sustained attack.

He added: "You dragged her by the hair across the floor. She must have been terrified and terrified of you too."

He also accepted she had made great strides in her life and had turned it around since becoming a mother and that it would not be good for her young daughter to be separated from her.

As a result he jailed her for 16 weeks but suspended the term for 18 months.

He also ordered she be supervised by probation for the period and complete 120 hours of unpaid work and attend 30 rehabilitation sessions.

Alldis was also ordered to pay her victim £300 in compensation, a victim surcharge of £128 and £100 costs.

A restraining order was also made for six months which bans Alldis from going near her former neighbour.