A WOMAN described as a “Walter Mitty character,” who armed herself with a knife and a starting pistol, has escaped a jail sentence.

Sarah Bruce gave police a false report of a break-in and a false description of herself when telling officers what the burglar looked like.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard how Bruce, 21 today, told police the burglar was wearing a blue and white crash helmet and police saw her in Colchester afterwards.

She was on her father’s moped travelling the wrong way up a one-way street before police managed to stop her a short while later in the town’s Wickham Road.

Bruce was carrying a lock knife and a starting pistol and was discovered wearing layers of clothing and latex gloves.

She told police later she wore layers of clothing to disguise herself.

Officers later discovered that the claim Bruce had made about breaking a window at a house was untrue.

She said the incident had started as she wanted money to buy something for her sister’s wedding.

Judge David Turner QC told Bruce, of Rigby Avenue, Mistley: “Something went badly wrong in your life on that day.

“It was some sort of emotional breakdown and it is hard to find a reason.”

Her barrister, Tony Ventham said: “It may take months or years of counselling to find out what led to this moment of madness.”

He described Bruce as a “Walter Mitty character”.

The court heard Bruce phoned police on April 26 and gave a description of someone who had broken a window at a property in Beaconsfield Avenue.

The person was wearing a distinctive crash helmet, Bruce told officers, and this person was stopped later on and turned out to be Bruce herself, the court heard.

The knife and starting pistol were discovered when she was searched later, Margia Mostafa, prosecuting, said.

Bruce admitted charges of affray, possessing an offensive weapon, and not have a licence or insurance when she appeared for sentence.

Judge Turner gave her an 18-month supervision order.