A SHOCKED woman assaulted a convicted paedophile while out shopping.

Shiela Hamilton exploded in anger at Barry Sammon after bumping into him.

Hamilton, 65, shouted and swore at the man within the Home Bargains store in Musselburgh, branding him “a paedophile” and “a dirty b******”.

Sammon moved away from the situation but was soon confronted again by the irate woman, who then spat in his face before being dragged away by a family member.

Police were called in to deal with the disturbance and Hamilton, of Preston Tower, Prestonpans, was subsequently arrested and charged following the incident in February.

Hamilton appeared in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Wednesday, where she was fined £100.

Sheriff John Cook said: “Clearly you shouldn’t have done what you did but matters such as this do evoke high emotions.

“You did cause a disturbance in the shop but, as you are 65 and have no previous convictions, I propose to impose a financial penalty.”

Fiscal depute Jo Dunn said that Hamilton was shopping with a family member at the store at about 5.40pm on February 11 when she and Sammon met.

Ms Dunn said: “The witness Sammon was within Home Bargains when he overheard the accused stating to a staff member: ‘Do you know that there is a paedophile in your shop?’

“She said to him: ‘You are a paedophile – you are a dirty b******.’

“Mr Sammon moved away but was again approached by the accused, who shouted: ‘You are a f****** b******.’

“She then spat on the right side of his face before being dragged away by her daughter.”

Solicitor Cameron Tait, defending, said his client was disabled and had no previous convictions.

Mr Tait added that the assault was “completely out of character” for Hamilton and that she knew one of Sammon’s victims.

He added: “She was out shopping that day and lost her temper.

“But if she was to see this man again she would walk the other way.”

Hamilton admitted to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, acting in an aggressive manner and uttering abusive remarks at Home Bargains, Musselburgh, on February 11.

She also pleaded guilty to assaulting Barry Sammon by spitting on his head during the same incident.