A DISPUTE over a recycling bin has landed a woman in court after she almost spat at her neighbour.

Louise Loveridge, 43, of Dumbarton Terrace pleaded guilty to the charge of assault against her neighbour when she came before the bench at Swindon Magistrates' Court on Monday morning.

She had previously pleaded not guilty to the offence dating from July 14, but changed her plea to guilty on a basis.

Crown prosecutor Keith Ballinger told the court that there had been ongoing issues between the defendant and the complainant, with this particular offence arising after Loveridge placed a recycling box - which she believed to belong to her neighbour - outside her neighbour's property. The box was moved and Loveridge returned it to outside her neighbour's property on a couple of occasions on the same day, leading to a confrontation in which Loveridge was shouting and swearing at her.

After the neighbour used a derogatory term against her, Loveridge intimated she was going to spit at her, although no spit came out.

"She accepts that she was about to spit but thought better of it," said Mr Ballinger. "She accepts that she is guilty of an assault."

Her defence, Gordon Hotson echoed that the dispute had been ongoing for some time. "She is spending as much time as she can away from her home - she has effectively been driven out of her home," he said. "She is looking to do a council house exchange out of the Swindon area. She finds she cannot have her grandchildren visit the house because of the problems and that is desperately upsetting for her."

Sentencing her, chairman of the bench Diana Crockett said there was an element of 50/50 blame when it came down to it. She imposed a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered Loveridge pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.