A WOMAN admitted driving into her neighbour as a long-running feud came to a head.

Catherine Marie Grace, 37, of Ivy Farm Cottage in Broxton, was fined £150 after pleading guilty to driving without due care and attention when she appeared at Chester Magistrates Court.

The incident happened on Old Coach Road at 1.15pm on October 17 last year.

Marie Hayden, prosecuting, said neighbour William Hughes had stopped his car outside his house while his wife opened the gate.

Grace was also in her vehicle further down the road with a male friend, who got out of the car and entered into a verbal dispute with Mr Hughes.

According to Peter McKenna, defending, the male friend – who has since been fined for a public order offence relating to the incident – was angry that Mr Hughes had earlier forced Grace to ‘swerve’ out of his way and onto an embankment when their two cars had passed on the road.

Mr Hughes had claimed he had been adjusting his wife’s sun visor, Mr McKenna told the court.

After the exchange of words between the male friend and Mr Hughes, the latter went and stood in front of Grace’s car.

Mrs Hayden, prosecuting, said: “There is CCTV outside the Hughes’ property. On it Mr Hughes’ hands are on the car bonnet. He appears to move away slowly.

“But she (Grace) drives forward causing Mr Hughes to fall on the front of the bonnet. She drives off and Mr Hughes falls to the ground.

“He didn’t require an ambulance or treatment.”

She added: “There is a history of dispute between the parties in the case. Numerous complaints have been made against each other.”

Mr McKenna, defending, said that ‘for reasons best known to himself’ Mr Hughes stood in front of the car.

He told the court Grace had said to Mr Hughes: “Get out of the way. I don’t want to know.”

Mr McKenna then said Mr Hughes started to move as though he was getting out of the way, and Grace ‘clipped’ his leg with her car.

He said his client had made 32 complaints to the police about Mr Hughes, although no action had ever been taken against him.

Mr McKenna said Grace had lived at the property for two years and as her husband worked in Iraq felt ‘vulnerable’, and added: “This is a very sad case.”

Grace was fined £150 and ordered to pay £50 costs and a victim surcharge of £15. She also received three points on her licence.