A woman with a history of violence against her neighbours has been given a community sentence for a fresh assault.
Amanda Jones, 33, of Hillside Road, Low Bentham, was found guilty after trial of disorderly behaviour towards her neighbours, Paul and Rachael Johnson, and of the separate assault by beating of Mrs Johnson.
Jones, a single mother, used threatening, abusive and insulting words towards Mr and Mrs Johnson in Hillside Road on August 13, and on October 7, she spat at Mrs Johnson while she was out with her teenage daughter in Main Street, Bentham.
On Friday, Skipton magistrates heard that Jones had two previous convictions for assault against neighbours while living in Ingleton and had received a binding over order following her conduct in a bank in Lancaster.
Magistrates sentenced her to a 12-month community order with supervision and ordered her to pay a total of £400 in costs, including £50 in compensation to Mrs Johnson, and a £50 forfeit for breach of the bind over.
An application by the prosecution for a restraining order was turned down by magistrates after it was pointed out they lived in joined properties and their children played together.
In mitigation, Keith Blackwell said there had been no incident between the neighbours since October and suggested that a restraining order would be setting her up to fail.