A CENTRAL Fife woman has been warned she could still face jail over an assault on a neighbour back in 2018.

Last year, Karen Cunningham, from Cardenden, was sentenced to do unpaid work but was back in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court after breaching the order.

She still has around a third of the 150 hours imposed to do, the court was told.

Sheriff Charles Macnair warned Cunningham she could still face jail.

He allowed the order to continue but added another 50 hours of unpaid work.

She was sentenced to unpaid work on May 8, having said she was fit to do it.

However, on May 10, she was given a medical line to say she could not do the work because of mental health issues.

The sheriff said that was now “an all-too common occurrence” and that Cunningham should have been jailed if there was not an alternative, such as unpaid work, available at the time of sentencing.

At the time, the Times reported that Cunningham had gone to confront the woman but assaulted her viciously when she was pushed.

Cunningham reacted to the push by repeatedly punching the complainer to her head and then dragging her to the ground causing a cut to the complainer's right eye.

The injury required six stitches and there was also bruising to her left cheek.

Following the assault, the incident turned into a fight. The complainer's child who was just eight years-old was present at the time.

Cunningham was also injured during the fight. Her hair had been ripped out resulting in a bald patch and she had marks on her arms.

A car window was also smashed during the stramash.

Cunningham, 39, of Main Road, admitted previously that on December 26, 2018, at Bluebell Gardens, Cardenden, she assaulted a female and did punch her repeatedly on the head and drag her to the ground, all to her severe injury.