A former Kent businesswoman of the year has been given a five-year Anti Social Behaviour Order for harassing newspaper and police staff.

Yolande Lindridge, 57, left staff at Kent Police and the Kent Messenger feeling "nervous and afraid" with persistent abusive phone calls, magistrates heard.

She once called a police complaints officer a "paedophile-loving bitch". At the end of the phone call, the officer's boss heard her distressed colleague scream and shout "I hate my job".

Lindridge - pictured, right, in 2002 - did not attend the trial, but the judge ruled it could continue in her absence.

Other people said Lindridge's telephone calls made them "nervous", "uncomfortable" and "angry".

Kent Messenger village correspondents said Lindridge, of Burwash in East Sussex, repeatedly called them to make allegations "about corruption in management".

Malcolm Dickinson said: “I found this particularly upsetting; I feel our local police force, and certainly the Kent Messenger are good institutions. I think they do an excellent job.”

Judge Tempia said, having heard evidence from a number of witnesses, she was sure the defendant had acted in an anti-social manner.

“Actions have been going on for a long time” she said. “They have been persistent."

She also said there were “suspected mental health issues” involved in the case.

Under the ASBO, Lindridge is prohibited from acting in a manner which could or is likely to cause nuisance, harassment, alarm or distress to any person employed by or under the direction and control of Kent Police, Kent Police Authority and Kent Messenger; or from communicating by whatever means with anyone in those organisations in a manner likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

The order runs for five years until July 20, 2014.