Assault on partner’s ex

A woman brandished an extendable baton at her partner’s estranged wife before wrenching open the door of her car and stealing her handbag.

The incident, caught on CCTV, took place as Mandy Kerr was pulling out of a driveway in Newhouse Place, in the Letham area of Perth.

Thirty-two-year-old Meghann Beckers was remanded in custody for a background report after appearing on indictment at Perth Sheriff Court.

Described as a prisoner at Edinburgh, she admitted assaulting Ms Kerr, striking her car with the weapon and robbing her of the bag.

She also pled guilty to flouting an October 11 bail order banning her from approaching or contacting the other woman.

Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson said that Ms Kerr was leaving Newhouse Place about 4pm when she saw the accused strike the window of her car.

She then opened the passenger’s door and removed the bag.

A neighbour“heard the commotion”and saw the accused.

“She was holding the complainer’s handbag with one hand and the baton in the other,” explained the fiscal.

The neighbour then called the police and went out in a bid to“calm the situation down.”

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis called for a community justice social work report before passing sentence.

She will return to court on March 10 when she will also be sentenced on other matters.

Solicitor Paul Ralph will give his plea in mitigation then.

Beckers, who was said to have been unemployed at the time, has previous convictions for vandalism, breach of the peace, police assault and possession of drugs.