A WOMAN threw a bench at the window of her ex partner's house after he said he was going to take their son on holiday with his new girlfriend.

The 33-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons admitted attempting to enter his property in a rural South Ayrshire community, knocking a vase from a window and breaking it before throwing the bench at the window.

On the same day the woman seized the man's hair, repeatedly slapped him on the head, seized him by the head, pulled him down, struck him on the head with her knee injuring him.

She appeared before Sheriff Mhari Mactaggart at Ayr Sheriff Court last week. The court heard how the pair had been in a relationship for six years and have two children together.

They separated in 2012 and the children live with their mother - the accused.

Depute Fiscal, Andrew Lazzarin, said: "In July she contacted the complainer and asked if he would have their son. He collected the child and she asked him if he could stay overnight.

"The man said he could not because he was going on holiday for a week. But he made arrangements to amend his holiday booking to allow the child to go with him.

"He phoned the accused to tell her. She said 'do you really think I would let him go on holiday with you let alone stay overnight'. 

"She collected him later on and told the man that he would not see his children again. The accused went to the back door but they managed to stop her from entering.

"The accused then went to the window, swiped a vase from the sill and smashed it. The complainer went outside to get rid of her when she attacked him.

"She seized him by the hair, slapped him, pulled him down and kneed him on the head. The man became aware of the accused's new partner in the van. He shouted to remove the woman. At that point the boy ran over to his mum to stop her from hitting his father.M/F

"She slapped the man another twice. She then picked up the garden bench and threw it at the window. It did not cause any damage. Police were contacted.

"They saw the accused was angry. The complainer had red marks to his eye and stomach area."

Speaking on her behalf, defence solicitor, Jill Malloy said: "This is appalling behaviour from my client and she realises that.

"Her son was asking to spend time with his dad but there had been no mention of a holiday. She was then phoned by the complainer saying they would be taking the boy on holiday.

"She was not told when this would be, panicked and went round to get her son. She has been seeking help. It seems she really understand the serious nature of this."

Addressing the dock, Sheriff Mactaggart, said: "This is a really nasty assault where a child has been involved by having to pull his mother of his father."

The woman has been placed on 18 months of supervision and will complete 100 hours of unpaid work in nine months. 

She has also been ordered to stay away from her ex and not to enter the village in which he lives.