A woman who got drunk at a restaurant and “started grinding” on the lap of a diner during his anniversary celebrations has avoided jail.

Samantha Williamson, 44, a mother of two, had been drinking at the bar of the Captain’s Club Hotel & Spa in Christchurch, Dorset, when she interrupted a couple eating a meal.

She sat on the man’s lap and told him “I want to sit on your big bamboo”, before being pushed off and told by the man’s wife to “f--- off”.

Williamson then took the drinks and a candle off the table and, behaving as though she was “possessed”, spat on and scratched the man.

Poole magistrates’ court heard that the couple had travelled to Dorset on June 15 last year to mark their 40th anniversary and to celebrate the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, receiving the all-clear from cancer.

Williamson had become progressively more drunk over the evening, argued with a man at the bar and began swearing and abusing other customers.

The victim said before the incident happened that they had tried to help her and offered to get her a taxi home, which she refused.

Speaking after the conviction, the victim said: “My wife tried to help and make sure she got home safe. She was arguing with some guy at the bar.

“I thought the staff would get her out but they let it go on for another two hours. She was shouting ‘c---’ and ‘f--- off’ but to no one. She started grinding on me and then swiped broken glass in my wife’s hair.”

Victoria Hill, prosecuting, told the court: “He hadn’t previously met her and certainly didn’t want her sitting on his lap. She began pointing and being abusive.

“His wife said ‘why don’t you f--- off?’ The defendant then swiped the drinks and a candle on the table, causing them to go all over [his wife].

“He stood up and took hold of her in an attempt to move her away from [his wife]. They fell to the floor because the defendant was drunk. He said she was behaving like she was possessed.”

A victim impact statement from the man read: “I had received the all-clear for my cancer and thought it was a great way to celebrate my news and 40 years together. Instead, we were met with a drunk, aggressive, very vicious young lady through no fault of our own.”

Williamson, of Avon Terrace, Salisbury, admitted one offence of sexual assault.

James Moore, defending, said the defendant had got very drunk when her partner said they were going to relocate and she did not handle the news well.

Mr Moore said Williamson was a vulnerable woman, having fled an abusive relationship in America and returned to the UK without her teenage son.

He added: “Alcohol is her kryptonite... she has seen the GP and undertaken counselling.”

District Judge Paul Booty said: “This was a gentleman out with his wife trying to celebrate their anniversary and dealing with a nasty illness. Taking everything into account this is serious enough for a community penalty.”

Judge Booty gave her a six-month community order with a tag-monitored curfew between 8pm and 6am and ordered her to pay £1,000 compensation to the victim.