A transsexual has been attacked with boiling water while in prison, a court heard.

Sally O'Rourke, aka Stephen, had been sent to a male prison after a series of bizarre burglaries for which she got two years.

This included breaking into an 82-year-old man's home, throwing her arms around him and saying: "Let's get drunk."

The defendant appeared in court again yesterday after she spat at a female police officer.

Homeless O'Rourke, 33, was convicted in November of spitting at the officer after she was arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

She had been released from prison early having been jailed for burglary and affray and was still in the "at risk" period when the spitting incident took place.

Police were called to Bristol Gardens, Brighton, where O'Rourke was found drunk and kicking the doors of an empty house.

Guy Russell, prosecuting, said: "She started shouting and swearing about her sexuality, using abusive and disgusting verbiage about what extreme acts she would do for money.

"She was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and when she was put into the van she started kicking the van walls. Then she spat at a police officer."

Peter Woodall, defending, said: "My client has been in custody for about 18 months over the last two years. She has suffered prejudice over her sexuality. While in the prison system she was the victim of degradation, ridicule and risk.

"She was attacked with boiling water, where both legs were badly scalded and the after-effects are very grave, with bad scalding still on both legs."

He said O'Rourke's main problem which drove her to drink and into trouble was homelessness and having no income.

Judge David Rennie adjourned sentencing until January 29 so O'Rourke could obtain proof of a possible place on a drug treatment programme through the prison service.