Kathryn Walters, prosecuting, said the victim was enjoying having a cigarette with friends outside a pub when Claire Ross arrived.
“For no reason, she (Ross) grabbed her by the hair, pulled her to the floor and kicked her to the back of the head area and shoulder,” she told York magistrates.
“The complainant was extremely shaken and upset and had no idea why the female (Ross) was or why she should be attacked.”
Defence solicitor Harry Bayman said Ross had argued with a close friend who had asked her to leave their property. She had also been drinking.
As she went past the group outside the Scarborough pub, she decided for no reason, that they were laughing at her.
“She lost her temper and the assault occurred,” he said.
Ms Walters said the victim suffered minor injuries.
The assault happened on April 2 this year, eight days after Ross had been spotted running out of TK Maxx in Scarborough with stolen handbags and three months after she had confessed to police that she had stolen from Boyes on January 9 and a One Stop shop on January 4, also in Scarborough.
Ross has a long criminal history and was on a community order imposed on March 5 for shop theft and assaulting an emergency worker.
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