Angry drunk mum used metal bar to cause £3,000 of damage by smashing 'every panel' on Audi A4 parked outside neighbour's house

Claire Chambers carried out the attack a year after appearing in court for a dangerous dog offence after her pet Staffordshire bull terrier savaged a different neighbour in her street in Wakefield.

Leeds Crown Court heard Chambers carried out an offence of criminal damage on March 2 last year shortly after 10.30pm.

The defendant left her home on Denhale Avenue, Flanshaw, and picked up a metal bar from the front garden.

She then walked over to her neighbour's home and attacked an Audi A4 parked outside of the property.

Jess Butterell, prosecuting, said the vehicle belonged to a friend of Chambers' neighbour.

Chambers caused damage to every panel on the vehicle, leaving it covered with scratches and dents which cost £3,000 to repair.

The neighbour and her friend looked outside after hearing noise and saw Chambers causing the damage.

Another neighbour also saw Chambers carrying out the damage.

Chambers was arrested and initially denied responsibility for causing the damage, claiming she had gone to her neighbour's house to invite her for a drink.

The defendant said the neighbour declined as her friend was in the house.

Chambers claimed she then left and returned home.

She said she had drunk four cans of cider at the time but was not intoxicated.

Chambers later pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage.

The prosecutor said the neighbour wanted Chambers to be given a restraining order banning the defendant from contacting her or going to her property.

Chambers has 25 previous convictions for 40 offences.

At the time of the incident she was the subject of a suspended prison sentence after her pet dog attacked a 70-year-old neighbour.

She was sentenced for that offence in 2019.

The pensioner had to have a skin graft operation after Chambers' dog Bella bit her as she walked through a field.

Members of the public had to prise the animal's jaw open after it bit her as she tried to protect her own pet .

Chambers shouted foul-mouthed abuse at people who went to help.

She accused one man of being a "grass" when he contacted police and said "I will rip your head off" to another woman.

The victim was bitten as she entered a field with her small black dog.

Chambers' dog latched on to the woman's hand and bit down as she went to pick up her dog.

Joseph Hudson, mitigating, said Chambers had not committed further offences since March 2020 and there had been no more trouble with neighbours.

Mr Hudson said the mum-of-four had been receiving support for alcohol problems and had been progressing well.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC made Chambers the subject of a community order so she can continue to receive support.

He said: "You are 36, and you have seen in those 36 years far more than most people have had to cope with in a life.

"Unfortunately, one way you are coping with it is by excessive drinking.

"It is not the answer to your problems. It is the cause of them.

"You need to continue doing the work that you are doing to sort yourself out."

Chambers was given an 18-month community order and was made the subject of a tagged curfew for four months.

She must take part in a six-month alcohol treatment programme and complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Chambers was also made the subject of a restraining order for three years.