Woman faces jail after attacking neighbour

She was furious after row over discarded needle in close

A Paisley woman has been warned she faces jail for a “vicious assault” on one of her neighbours in a row over a dirty needle that was found in their close.

Janet Collins, 42, flipped after a soiled needle was posted through her letterbox by neighbour Christine Bashir, 48.

She flew in to a rage and attacked Mrs Bashir, pulling hair out of her head and scratching her face so badly she left her covered in blood.

Collins denied assaulting Mrs Bashir, claiming her neighbour had attacked her and that she acted in self-defence.

But following a trial at Paisley Sheriff Court yesterday, she was convicted and warned she could be jailed when sentenced next month.

Claire Evren, who lives in the same block of flats in Seedhill Road, Paisley, told how she witnessed the attack after hearing “a commotion” in the close.

She explained: “There was shouting and arguing.

“A needle had been left on Christine’s doorstep and she put it through Janet Collins’ door.

“Janet came flying through the door and grabbed Christine from behind by the hair and then dragged her towards her door and started hitting her head off the side of the door.

“She dragged her in to her property.

“She was scratching at her and punching her head.” “She had two hands on her hair. “She was just holding her, punching her and scratching her face. “Her face was bleeding. “She was all scratched down both sides of her face.”

Christine’s husband, Jav Bashir, who works as a concierge for Renfrewshire Council, also became involved in the melee.

He raced to the landing upstairs from their flat – after also hearing the commotion – to see his wife lying on the ground being attacked.

Mr Bashir, 49, said he tried to intervene, explaining: “I said, ‘let go of my wife’. “I tried to pull her fingers. “Her face was all red – she had scratched her face.”

Collins denied the assault, which took place in a close on November 25 last year, claiming she had been acting in selfdefence.

Giving evidence, she said: “Christine came at me and grabbed my hair with both hands.

“I’m no angel, I can be a bit rowdy, but I’m not gonna not defend myself.”

Sheriff David Pender rejected Collins version of events and convicted her.

He called for background reports to be prepared ahead of sentencing and warned Collins, who now lives in Fitzallan Court, in Dundonald Road, that she could be jailed for the offence.