A DISPUTE in Tranent that had been “ongoing for some time” exploded in violence when a woman smashed a bottle over the head of her neighbour.

Patricia Creed struck victim John Mason to the back of the head with the wine bottle after the man had turned up at her door late at night.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told that there had been rumours swapped online about an alleged affair and Mr Mason had gone round to Creed’s home at West Windygoul Gardens to discuss the matter.

Mason was said to have been “banging on the door and windows” at Creed’s home at about 10.30pm on February 9.

Creed, 46, had been at home with her two daughters and claimed to have been “alarmed” at the noise so late and had exited her home carrying the empty wine bottle.

The court heard that the bottle “smashed on impact” with Mr Mason and Creed later told police she had hit the man “in self-defence as he came to my door and struck me to the head”.

Creed appeared in the dock at the city court last Friday, where she pleaded guilty to assaulting John Mason with the glass bottle, causing it to smash, and attempting to strike him on the body.

Co-accused Andrew Wilkie, 47, had his not guilty plea to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner accepted by the Crown.

Defending solicitor Woodburn said that there had been “an ongoing scenario for some time between the neighbours” and said Creed had never been in trouble before and this had been “a one-off incident”.

He admitted, though, that his client should have “taken a breath and called the police at that point” instead of going outside to confront Mr Mason.

The court was told that Mr Mason had been left with “minor cuts” to the back of his head.

Sentence was deferred to June 13.