A woman who admitted to hurling homophobic abuse at a lesbian couple in a Kilwinning pub has been given a second chance.

Hayley Steel, 29, of Kilwinning’s Fives Road, called the pair “lesbian b******s” on September 30 last year.

Steel appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week for sentencing, having previously pled guilty to one charge.

The court heard that the couple were in the Alton Inn with a friend at around 10pm, when one of the trio left to go to the toilet. Steel sat on the woman’s seat and was told by the witnesses that her friend was sitting there and would be coming back.

Steel then shouted: “’Mon tae f***, it’s only a seat. I’ll only be two minutes.” She stood up and continued to shout and was clearly heavily intoxicated. She was removed from the pub.

Steel came back around an hour later, went straight to the bar and said: “At least I get a seat now.” She then shouted: “Lesbian b******s. Who the f*** do they think they are?”

Steel was asked to leave the pub again, but became aggressive, so she was removed a second time.

She shouted at the witnesses: “Look at the state of you, you fat b******, no wonder you can’t get a man.”

Steel’s solicitor, Brian Holliman, claimed that the complainers had made abusive comments towards Steel after she sat down to adjust her shoe.

He also said that Steel was a first offender. He added: “She regrets making these comments.

She states to me it’s not an underlying view of hers.”

Sheriff McFarlane told Steel: “On this occasion, you will be admonished and dismissed but you now have a record. I’ll hopefully not see you again.”