A 35-year-old woman has been fined £150 after assaulting her neighbour.

Caroline Diane Kelly admitted an offence of common assault on a female and was also ordered to pay the victim £50 compensation.

Kelly had previously pleaded not guilty to two charges of common assault on a female with a trial scheduled for December.

However, she changed her plea to guilty for one of the charges and the second was dismissed after it was reviewed by the prosecution.

Prosecuting advocate Chrissie Hunt told the court that the victim was at her home on July 5 when she heard Kelly banging on her door and saying ‘let me in’.

She opened the door and found Kelly there, appearing to be upset.

A verbal altercation took place which progressed to Kelly grabbing the woman by her clothing, damaging it.

Kelly was pushed outside before police were called.

After being arrested, during a police interview, Kelly denied any assault.

Defence advocate Stephen Wood entered a basis of plea for his client in which Kelly said the assault had been reckless rather than deliberate.

Mr Wood said that Kelly’s children were at the neighbour’s house and she had been trying to get past the woman to get to them.

The advocate said that Kelly had been involved in an argument with one of them which had resulted in them going to her neighbour’s house.

‘Ms Kelly wanted to make sure they were alright and placate them,’ said Mr Wood.

‘She was in a state of disarray and grabbed hold of the victim to move her out of the way.

‘She accepts in grabbing hold of her, she has caused damage to her clothing and some reddening to her skin.’

Mr Wood asked for credit to be given for his client’s guilty plea and asked the court to deal with the offence by way of a conditional discharge or a fine.

Magistrates also ordered Kelly, who lives at Elm Avenue, Pulrose, to pay £175 costs which she will pay, along with the fine and compensation, at £10 per week.