Tea thrown in face during neighbours barking dog row
A row between neighbours over a barking dog resulted in one woman throwing a cup of tea over the other.
Donna Stephens also threw stones at the face of Elaine Bermingham in a long-running dispute between the pair.
It came to a head on the morning of September 17 when the police were called twice to calm the situation after the complainant's dog began barking.
Stephens, 44, of Cledan, Treowen, Newtown, appeared at Welshpool Magistrates Court and admitted a charge of assault by beating.
Mrs Helen Tench, prosecuting, said the police were called shortly after 7.40am on September 17.
She said: "Officers were called following reports of an assault. It was about 7.40am and the neighbour had let her dog out. It barked and then a brown box and a glass bottle fell into her garden from above."
It is believed the items were dropped by the defendant.
"The complainant put the dog back in and swept up the glass before calling the police who attended and calmed the situation down," Mrs Tench added.
"Later, she went to the fence and words were exchanged before the defendant picked up a handful of stones and then threw them in the complainant's face."
Mrs Tench said Miss Bermingham managed to turn her face away so the stones hit her on the cheek, causing no injury.
Mrs Tench added: "She was left shocked but she did not feel injured so she stayed in the same position. Then the defendant threw a cup of tea in her face. It was warm, but again did not cause any injury, but left her feeling shocked."
Mrs Tench said the police were then called again and Stephens was arrested. She gave a no comment interview.
Stephens was given a community order for 12 months, which includes 10 days of rehabilitation work with the probation service and 40 hours' unpaid work.
She was also ordered to pay a £150 criminal court charge and a £60 victim surcharge.
Magistrates decided not to make her pay the victim compensation or pay any contribution towards prosecution costs as she already had a high level of court fines outstanding.
Miss Ceri Edwards, for Stephens, said her client had a long-running row with Miss Bermingham which stemmed from noise from music and loud dog barking.
