Woman hit neighbour in row over dog mess

Dog owner attacked victim with walking stick and threatened another neighbour

A disabled woman hit her neighbour in the face with her walking stick in a long-running dispute about dog mess.

Linda Coia, 59, of Hawthorn Crescent, Hill of Beath, was convicted of two separate offences involving different neighbours.

The incidents took place in Netherton Road, Cowdenbeath, where she was living at the time.

Victim Sarah Penman told the court she had previously complained about dirt from Coia’s dog in their shared garden.

Ms Penman, 24, told Dunfermline Sheriff Court she had been talking to the other victim, Jason Beveridge, outside her home and her young daughter was standing next to her.

She said that Coia had walked past and started pointing, adding: “My daughter started screaming and I told her to go inside. As I turned back around a walking stick hit me right in the face.”

The witness said her daughter was “in hysterics” but Coia had swung her stick for a second time. Jason Beveridge had grabbed the stick on that occasion.

Ms Penman said she had a “big red mark” across her face where she had been hit by the stick.

Jason Beveridge, 44, told the court that Coia had sworn at them as she walked past and “then she flew at the woman with the finger up”.

He went on: “Then the stick hit the woman in the face and just missed the young girl.”

Mr Beveridge said Coia “went for a second hit” but he grabbed her stick to prevent that.

Coia claimed Mr Beveridge grabbed her stick and in the struggle it had accidentally hit Ms Penman.

This version of events was rejected by Sheriff Shelagh McCall who told her: “I simply don’t believe that” and found her guilty of assault.

Depute fiscal Fiona Nairn then told the court details of the first incident involving Mr Beveridge, which also involved a row over Coia’s dog.

Mr Beveridge had gone out to clear up dog dirt, when he was confronted by Coia. She had initially been banging on her window shouting “Not my dog”.

She then went outside, started prodding Mr Beveridge in the chest five or six times and said: “I’ll smash your face in.”

Coia admitted that on August 29 last year she behaved in a threatening or abusive manner, repeatedly shouted and uttered threats of violence towards Jason Beveridge and prodded him on the body.

After a trial, she was also found guilty of a second charge that on September 15 in the same street she assaulted Sarah Penman by striking her on the head with a walking stick.

Sheriff McCall deferred sentence on Coia for 12 months for good behaviour. She will return to court on July 19 next year.

My daughter started screaming and I told her to go inside. As I turned back around a walking stick hit me right in the face. SARAH PENMAN