A DISABLED great-grandmother was arrested, had her DNA and fingerprints taken, and held in cell at Banbury police station - for sending text messages.

Kathleen Houghton, 63, of Kenilworth Way, Banbury, a retired council worker, called her treatment heavy-handed, unnecessary, and a waste of police time. She was accused of harassment after texting another woman about a £20 'debt'.

Mrs Houghton, who uses a motability scooter to get to the shops, claims the arresting officers asked her if she was going to run away and whether she felt she needed to be handcuffed. She said that before being put in a cell, her shoes were removed and she had to walk on cold concrete.

Mrs Houghton said: "My shoes didn't have laces. Did they think I was going to hang myself on Velcro straps?"

The issue arose over text messages sent by Mrs Houghton to recover a deposit paid for goods no longer required. In May, Mrs Houghton's 18-year-old granddaughter Samantha saw an advertisement in a local newspaper for a second-hand pram, priced at £80.

Samantha, who was expecting a daughter, contacted the seller and handed over a deposit of £40, and it was agreed that the vendor would keep the pram until the balance was paid. But when Samantha decided not to go ahead with the purchase, the seller would only give £20 back, saying the rest was non-returnable.

Mrs Houghton said: "I began to text the seller, not abusively, to get the other £20, but the seller complained to the police and the next thing I knew was that two WPCs were at my door and I was on my way to the police station.

"They took my DNA and my fingerprints, which hurt because I have arthritis in my hand, and I was put in a cell for an hour. I was at the police station for more than two hours.

"After interviews I was given a caution and set free. It was so heavy-handed and unnecessary. I can't imagine what it must have cost in time and paperwork. I was treated like a bank robber for sending text messages. They claimed I sent 100 messages, but it was less than 30 and none of them were abusive. I just asked her to pay what she owed."

A statement from Banbury police said: "We investigated an allegation of harassment and a woman was arrested and brought to Banbury Police Station. She was interviewed, admitted the offence, and accepted a caution.

"She was dealt with in a professional manner by the officers involved and we would urge the woman, if she has any concerns, to contact us directly where we will be happy to discuss the matter."