A woman who spat in a five-month-old girl's face after a racist rant at her grandmother has been ordered to pay the child compensation.

Michelle Field, 46, was convicted of a racially aggravated common assault on the girl, who was being pushed in a pram in Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire.

Field, from the town, had denied the charge, claiming mistaken identity.

At Haverfordwest Magistrates' Court she was given a suspended prison sentence and told to pay the child £200.

She received a 26-week sentence suspended for 24 months, as well as a 12-month community order, 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 200 hours of unpaid work.

The court heard Field had directed comments about "dirty, stinking Gypsies" at the grandmother, before spitting at the girl on 8 July last year.

The grandmother said Field told her "that's what I think of your child".

After the assault, the baby's mother arrived and rushed the child into a nearby hall to wash saliva off her face, the court heard.

Witnesses who saw the assault marched Field across the road to a nearby police station.

In a victim impact statement, the little girl's mother said she was "especially worried" as the baby had to have at least 10 hospital appointments before being given the all-clear.

During the case, Field had maintained she would not spit at a child.