A former Labour MP was drunk, abusive and "out of control" in a hotel bar, a court was told today.

A former Labour MP was drunk, abusive and "out of control" in a hotel bar, a court was told today.

Helen Clark - MP for Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, between 1997 and 2005 - then told police investigating a complaint against her that they were "pigs", Peterborough magistrates' court heard.

Clark, 54, of Peterborough, denies using threatening words and behaviour and being drunk and disorderly in a bar at the Great Northern Hotel in Peterborough in June 2008.

The politician had been drinking wine on a Sunday afternoon and went "ballistic" when a Portuguese barmaid refused to serve her more alcohol, a district judge was told.

Prosecutor Caroline Allison said Clark responded with a string of abuse and profanity.

Ms Allison said Clark had asked: "Why am I treated like a c***?"; "Who's the bitch giving orders?"; "You calling me drunk?"

She said Clark had also said: "Don't patronise me... f*** off."; "The bitch couldn't speak English who's denying to serve me."; "You bitch, you can't even speak English."

The court heard that barmaid Susana Arsalani had filmed part of the incident on a mobile phone and the footage appeared on the internet site YouTube, the court heard. Mrs Arsalani told the court that Clark had been "aggressive".

"What provoked the reaction was that I denied serving Mrs Helen (sic). Obviously that made her angry," said Mrs Arsalani.

"Obviously I told her that she was drunk. She didn't like that.

"I tried to be the most polite possible. I keep apologising for doing my job."

Mrs Arsalani added: "She never called me 'Portuguese bitch'. She called me 'bitch' and said I couldn't speak English. She never used my nationality."

Mrs Arsalani denied suggestions that she had lied and exaggerated and told the court: "I am nobody. I'm a barmaid with a family. I just want justice. I just want the person who treated me that way to say 'I am sorry. I was wrong'. That's the only thing I expect from Mrs Helen."

Artist Barbara Sewell - a friend of Clark's - said she tried to calm the former MP.

"I felt she had had a lot to drink," said Mrs Sewell. "I felt she was out of control. In my opinion I thought Helen had had too much to drink."

Mrs Arsalani's mobile phone footage was played during the hearing. It showed Clark holding her head in her hands while crying and screaming.

Ms Allison told the court that a complaint had been made in July 2008 and Clark had been arrested in September.

She said Clark had told police: "I remember in the seventies when police were referred to as pigs. That's what you all are, pigs. Look everyone, I am being arrested by pigs."