A mum who was arrested after screaming and waving a kitchen knife around a city centre bus station has been locked up.

Kayley Skelton, 32, was detained after drawing the five-inch blade at Canterbury bus station. Her case has prompted a judge's warning over “epidemic” levels of knife crime.

The mother-of-three even boarded a bus while displaying the knife before police intercepted the vehicle and disarmed her.

Prosecutor Caroline Knight told Judge James O’Mahony how the “alarming” scenes unfolded.

“Witness Mr Brand was at Canterbury Bus Station when he saw Miss Skelton," she said.

"She had in her hand a can of drink and a knife that your honour has just been shown.

“Mr Brand was sufficiently alarmed she was brandishing the knife - she appeared to be shouting at someone.

“He called the police, the bus he was waiting for arrived. Miss Skelton continued to brandish the knife then got on the same bus as Mr Brand.”

Police intercepted the bus, seized the weapon and arrested Skelton.

Miss Knight told the court brandishing the knife in a busy place during the day was an aggravating factor.

Skelton has racked up 10 convictions for 27 previous offences, the court heard.

Mitigating, Phil Rowley explained Skelton is a “mother concerned for the welfare of her children” and lost control after a row with a former partner.

The barrister added Skelton suffers a history of mental illness.

Jailing Skelton for two-and-a-half years, Judge James O’Mahony highlighted knife crime has reached “epidemic” proportions.

“You must reflect," he told her. "You are young and you have the rest of your life ahead of you - what you make of it is down to you.

“There is real concern nowadays about knife crime, it is an epidemic."

Skelton, of Sussex Close in Herne Bay, remained passive in the dock throughout the hearing.

She was found guilty of carrying a bladed article during a trial in the magistrates’ court which she failed to attend, the court heard.

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