AN ARREST warrant has been issued for a Bradford woman who fled court today ahead of being sentenced for a "sustained attack" on her former partner in a swimming pool car park.

Sammi-Jo Bateman, 25, had already pleaded guilty to assaulting Ryan Couborough by beating prior to yesterday's sentencing at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court.

Prosecutor Ben Crosland told the court that on July 20, Bateman became involved in a "violent altercation" at Bowling Pool with Mr Couborough, in which she punched him at least seven times and kicked him repeatedly to the body.

The matter was deemed so serious by the manager of the leisure centre that he phoned the police, who attended the scene and arrested Bateman, of Woolcombers Way, Tyersal.

Kevin Walker, mitigating, said Mr Couborough had "sought a confrontation" with Bateman, adding the assault "looked worse on paper than it was."

After magistrates had retired to consider their verdict, security guards entered the courtroom, prompting Bateman to leave the court with friends who had been sat in the public gallery.

When chairman of the bench Gamil Haddad returned to sentence her, court staff confirmed she had left the building.

In her absence, Mr Haddad sentenced Bateman to four months in prison for what he described as a "sustained attack" with no retaliation by the other party involved.

He issued a warrant for Bateman's arrest, adding it was "not backed by bail in any circumstances."

She was also ordered to pay a £150 criminal courts charge and a £80 victim surcharge.