A TRANENT woman who caused a disturbance after accusing her girlfriend of being unfaithful has been fined and banned from contacting or approaching her for two years.

Jacqueline Stevenson behaved aggressively, believing that her partner had not been faithful during their relationship.

Stevenson grabbed her belongings from the couple’s home before the pair began struggling with each other as her partner disputed the ownership of the items being taken.

Following a physical struggle between the pair, neighbours stepped in to break it up before police were called in.

Stevenson pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, acting in an aggressive manner and struggling with the woman at an address at Potters Path, Tranent, on May 21 when she appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Wednesday.

Fiscal depute Anna Robertson told the court that Stevenson’s partner was within her Tranent home when she received a phone call which “enraged” Stevenson at about 8.30am.

The fiscal said that Stevenson began “shouting and swearing” before “accusing her of cheating”.

The argument between the pair lasted a number of hours and “came to a head when Ms Stevenson picked up items from the locus and began to leave”.

Her partner was said to have followed Stevenson “crying and saying the items were hers” before a struggle ensued between the pair.

Neighbours watched on as the couple argued before one neighbour “attempted to break up the struggle”.

Police were subsequently called in to deal with the situation and Stevenson, 30, was arrested and charged.

Defending solicitor Rebecca Weissgerber said that Stevenson was currently living with her mother and was unemployed.

Ms Weissgerber added that the couple’s relationship was “now at an end” after there had “been some dubiety as to whether [Stevenson’s partner] had been faithful”.

Sheriff Adrian Cottam acknowledged Stevenson’s lack of previous offending and decided to issue a fine of £180 to mark the offence.

Sheriff Cottam also agreed with the Crown’s motion to hand Stevenson a two-year non-harassment order banning her from contacting or approaching her former partner for two years.