Kitten's court outburst

Big Brother rebel Kitten used an appearance in court today to launch a scathing attack on Prime Minister Tony Blair and his education policy.

Kitten, real name Kathryn Pinder, made her outburst as she explained to Brighton magistrates why she had not paid four parking tickets, amounting to £225.

Chairman of the bench Elespeth Clarkson was forced to order Kitten, 24, from Grand Parade, Brighton, to stop talking as she protested over university top-up fees.

Pinder, who was booted out of the Big Brother house on Friday for breaking rules, said: "It's all Tony Blair.

"He said at one point that he was going to prioritise education and possibly bring back some kind of grants and promised he would not introduce top-up fees because that makes it really hard to get by."

Ms Clarkson said: "Will you please stop talking. This has no relevance to your case."

Animal rights activist Pinder replied: "I think it is relevant."

She told the court she had been unable to pay the fines incurred in Hull in April and July 2002 and in July last year because she had left university with a student loan and debts worth £15,000.

Magistrates ordered her to pay the full amount by July 21 or come back to court to explain why she could not.

The court heard she was expecting to receive some income from newspaper and magazine articles, but that she could not pay her fines today

Pinder left court facing a barrage of press photographers but refused to talk about her plans.

She said simply: "I can't understand why a few court fines would be so interesting."

When she arrived at court, she drew attention to her T-shirt, which bore the words "no sweat" and a broken Nike-style tick.