Bristol woman pleads guilty over hitting boy with a paddle

The police had been criticised for the the initial handling of the case

A woman has pleaded guilty to hitting a 12-year-old boy with a paddle.

Fay Johnson, 32, of Yate, admitted one charge of assault causing actual bodily harm at Bristol Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

The incident took place on the banks of the River Avon in Brislington on 26 March this year.

Avon and Somerset Police had previously been criticised for their handling of the case, as Ms Johnson was not initially prosecuted.

The force apologised and reviewed the case after the boy's family raised concerns.

A video filmed by an onlooker showed the aftermath of the assault

Neighbourhood chief inspector Mike Buck previously said: "We have listened to the concerns of the family and the community and identified and carried out further investigation."

Ms Johnson will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on 12 January.