A BALLINGRY woman who attacked another parent after she had complained about the behaviour of one of her sons was this week ordered to pay £250 compensation.

Single mum Elizabeth Devine, 37, of Kildownie Crescent, carried out the assault and said her victim had taken the brunt of her anger after she had had a bad week with her four children.

Appearing for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday, she had earlier admitted assaulting the woman in Kildownie Crescent on March 30 this year by seizing her by the hair, pulling her to the ground, repeatedly punching her on the face and repeatedly kicking her on the body, all to her injury.

Depute fiscal, Azrah Yousaf, said the two women were known to each other as they had children in the same class at a local school. On the day of the assault, the woman’s daughter had become upset by comments made to her by a boy in her class. She was concerned at how her daughter had become that upset and decided to speak to the child’s mother so went to Devine’s house. After explaining why she had come to the house, Devine was not happy and began to shout at the woman. She became concerned about the way the incident was developing and decided to leave.

“As she was leaving, she was grabbed by her hair, pulled to the ground and repeatedly punched on the face and kicked her on the body,” said Ms Yousaf. “At the time, she was shouting at the complainer, ‘Never come to my house again’.”

When the woman lay at Devine’s front door after the attack, she was told by her attacker: “Get away from my door, you are not lying there sobbing.”

Solicitor Megan Davidson said her client had taken offence when the woman said: “If this is the way you are, no wonder you kids are out of control”.

She told the Court that two of Devine’s children suffered from ADHD, however, Sheriff Craig McSherry replied: “They are probably not being looked after by your client that is why. She seems to be a completely unsuitable person to be looking after four children if this is the way she behaves.” Ms Davidson added that her client was generally a “fit parent” and accepted that acting in that manner in front of one of her children was completely unacceptable. There is clearly an underlying anger issue that requires to be addressed,” she added.

“She very much regrets her behaviour and is ashamed of what she has done.”

Sheriff McSherry placed Devine on a community payback order with a supervision requirement for 12 months. He also was ordered to do 125 hours of unpaid work within six months and pay £250 compensation.