An equine artist who drove her car into a rival horse owner during a stable dispute has been ordered to carry out 120 hours unpaid work in the community.
Karren Boult was slammed by a sheriff after she stood in the dock and tore up a social work report, claiming she had been the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
Sheriff Kevin Veal told Boult that he had found her guilty at a trial after failing to believe her version of the dispute at the livery yard. He placed her under social work supervision for 18 months.
Raging Boult drove straight at Stewart Kidd after hurling abuse at his wife during a blazing argument at the yard where they both stabled horses.
Mr Kidd hurled a bucket of water at her and hobbled after Boult as she raced off from the yard.
Boult an illustrator specialising in horse drawings was found guilty of injuring Mr Kidd by deliberately driving her car at him at Upper Muirhall Farm, Perth.
Mr Kidd, 55, said he had a horse stabled at the yard where he worked as a handyman and he arrived on the scene to find Boult hurling abuse at his wife Kareen, 45.
“There was a loud voice shouting and bawling and swearing. It was extremely aggressive,” Mr Kidd told the court. “I saw Karren Boult shouting and bawling at my wife.
“She put the car in gear and came forward. I kept approaching. She then put her foot on the accelerator and accelerated towards me, colliding the car with my legs.
“She drove the car at me. She was going too fast and she hit my legs. My left leg got knocked backwards. I don’t know how I managed to stay upright.
“She reversed the car back so hard and so fast there were clouds of dust coming up. I threw the pail of water.
“She went around the corner at some speed. I don’t know how she managed to keep control.”
Mr Kidd said he saw two young girls jumping on to the verge to avoid being struck by Boult’s Nissan Almera as she sped off.
Kareen Kidd said Boult launched into a tirade of abuse over allegations of bullying made by a teenage girl she was teaching to ride a horse at the stables.
“She screeched to a halt, wound down her window and started screaming at me,” Mrs Kidd said.
“She started shouting at me about my daughter bullying this other girl.
“She was really threatening about it. My husband came round. She drove forward towards him with her car.
“She screamed at him to get out the way and started revving the car. The car suddenly shot forward and hit my husband, who went staggering backwards. It was his knees that got it.”
Boult admitted there was an angry exchange with the couple, but said she thought she was in danger because they might drag her out of the car.
She claimed Mrs Kidd, who walks with a stick, “came flying up to me, running, and threw herself into my window, keeping it down with her elbow, screaming abuse into my face.
“It was quite frightening and very intimidating. I was frightened she would drag me out. I put the car into first gear and drove slowly. Stewart Kidd marched up to me.
“He wouldn’t let me through. He walked into my car when it was going forward. He ran at me with the bucket and threw it at the car. I thought the two of them would drag me out the car. I was petrified.”
Boult, 46, Campsie Farm, Guildtown, was found guilty of assaulting Mr Kidd by deliberately driving at him and hitting him on the body to his injury.
Sheriff Kevin Veal said: “I am quite clear that charge has been made out and find that Mrs Boult in fact drove directly at Mr Kidd.”