A child cancer survivor who made a bigoted slur and spat at police was shown mercy by a sheriff on Tuesday. 

Reebeka Climson, 27, shouted "F*** the Pope" at an orange walk in Glasgow's Duke Street on July 2 2022.

Climson also hurled abuse at police officers Kelly Anne Brown and Rebecca Ferns.

The pair attended to Climson, of the city's Easterhouse, after she had suffered a head injury.

Climson then went on to spit at each of the officers.

Climson made the news in 2007 when aged just 11 she was given a 20% chance of surviving a rare bone cancer.

The diagnosis was made after she fell off her bike.

What was initially believed to be a cracked rib, was later found out to be Ewings Sarcoma, an extremely rare, fast-growing form of bone cancer.

The then child appeared on TV in an appeal for BBC's Children in Need.

She was also a mascot at a Rangers game and was chauffeur driven in a Rolls Royce to Ibrox Stadium.

In a newspaper interview at the time, Climson said: "Now I want to grow up to be a doctor, a lawyer or even a model.

"There's so much I still want to do.

"If I can help other children with cancer along the way, that's even better."

But, 16 years later, Climson instead ended up in the dock at Glasgow Sheriff Court facing jail.

She pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner aggravated by religious prejudice.

She also admitted assaulting the two officers.

Sheriff Tony Kelly told her at an earlier hearing that he was considering sending Climson to prison.

But, he was persuaded by her lawyer Ross Yuill to give Climson help through a female problem-solving court.

Mr Yuill said: "She is making good progress with Tomorrow's Women.

"With this progress, you might be persuaded away from custody and defer her to the female offenders court."

Sheriff Kelly replied: "I think it would be disproportionate to impose custody as she has kept out of trouble.

"If the court imposed custody, it would wipe all of that out and increase the chances of re-offending."

The court heard that the officers had been escorting a parade from the city centre to Duke Street.

Climson - who had a cut on her head - was approached by PCs Brown and Ferns.

There was a conversation between the trio before Climson "became abusive" towards the officers.

Prosecutor Mark Allan said: "Out of nothing, she began to shout and swear at them and made abusive as well as sectarian remarks at them.

"She called them f***ing pigs, that they couldn't tell her what to do.

"She said 'f*** the Pope' and so on.

"This was in the context of the ongoing parade which the crowd had attached themselves to."

Climson was then arrested as her behaviour continued.

It was decided that she would taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary for treatment to her head.

Climson uttered threats of violence and stated that she would find out where they lived and burn their house down.

Mr Allan added: "While still in Duke Street during the aftermath of the arrest, she spat at the officers.

"PC Brown had spit land on her cheek but PC Ferns unfortunately had her mouth open.”

PC Ferns subsequently needed a hepatitis B injection at hospital.

Climson will appear at the female offenders court next month.