A woman trashed what she thought was her ‘cheating’ boyfriend’s car in a drunken rage – only to discover it belonged to a total stranger.
Christine Ann Potten tore off the rear windscreen wiper and a door trim and kicked off the driver’s mirror in a 1am wrecking spree.
It was halted when a resident woken by the commotion opened his window and shouted ‘That’s not your boyfriend’s car’.
Potten, 38, staggered back home but left a trail of blood spots after cutting herself in the attack on the silver Peugeot 307.
Police were called and she answered the door with her finger dripping with blood and told them: “I’m a naughty girl aren’t I?”
She was arrested and was ordered to pay £336 compensation to the car’s real owner Anita Meek after she admitted causing damage.
Anita, 47, said she was “absolutely livid” as the attack last month happened just a week before she was due to drive to Torquay for a family holiday.
She said: “We had to spend the whole holiday driving around with our wing mirror held on by duct tape.
“But if we hadn’t been able to stick it back on it would have been so much worse.
“I’ve never met or spoken to her. She’s not even from round here.
“All I got was a note under my door from the police explaining what had happened.”
Defending, Chris Baddoo told magistrates how Potten had a new partner and had been drinking when she returned to the house in Yeovil, Somerset.
He said: “She thought her partner’s car was outside another address but it was a total mistake and she damaged the vehicle.
“Someone came out and told her it wasn’t her boyfriend’s car and when interviewed she apologised profusely for the mistake.
“She is absolutely gutted about what happened because it was an innocent person’s car she damaged.”
He said Potten, from Sturminster Newton, Dorset, was on ESA benefits and was in arrears with her rent and council tax.
“Obviously she wants to pay compensation but can only pay at a nominal rate,” he added.
Somerset magistrates in Yeovil imposed a six month conditional discharge and ordered Potten to pay £336 compensation.
