A drunk Moray woman struck her husband in the face with a telephone after he threatened to use it to call the police.
Julie Nicoll, 51, had been drinking heavily in her family home in Dufftown while her husband and two children had been out.
When they returned, the children retired to their bedrooms, only for Mrs Nicoll to become so loud one was forced to come downstairs to tell her to be quiet.
Though they were given a temporary reprieve, Elgin Sheriff Court heard her inebriation was such that she was soon causing disruption throughout the house.
After repeated attempts to quieten her failed, her husband Brian Nicoll was eventually forced to threaten to call the police.
The court heard that had angered Mrs Nicoll, who hurled the house phone at his face, splitting his lip.
Procurator Fiscal Kevin Corrins said Mr Nicoll had no time to react to the blow.
“After Mr Nicoll told the accused to calm down and she hit him in the face with the house phone,” he said.
“The children came down after hearing the commotion and found their father with a swollen lip, although he needed no medical attention.”
Mrs Nicoll, of Maclennan Place, pleaded guilty to the charge of assault.
Her defence solicitor Matthew O’Neill spoke about his client’s previous problems with alcohol and her current home life situation.
He said: “Mrs Nicoll has a problem with alcohol and finds using it difficult. She has a very limited recollection of what happened.
“She has attended regular AA meeting since the incident. Her husband is hopeful to have her back in their home soo. He will be happy to see her return.”
Sheriff Chris Dickson told Mrs Nicoll to take this opportunity to change her life for the better.
He deferred her sentence until early December for good behaviour and warned her that any further offences would likely result in a custodial sentence.
