A LEADING Labour activist in Southampton has apologised after she deliberately damaged a student's car.

High on a mixture of tranquillisers and drink, Pat Othen twisted the car aerial and broke off a wing mirror because she was at the end of her tether from constant noise nuisance.

The city crown court heard there was "tension" between some students and the 51-year-old in the Polygon area.

Her frustration boiled when she found the front wing of her car damaged. In a confused state, she went to the students' house to complain about the noise level and damage.

Her barrister Elizabeth Gunther said: "In her drunken state she thought she would do unto them what they had done to her. By the time she got to the police station, she got it into her mind she was the wronged person."

The court heard Othen was arrested and taken to the police station, where she stepped on a woman's officer leg.

Miss Gunther said Othen was trying to attract the officer's attention and not trying to hurt her. "She felt she was being ignored and wanted to give her side of the story.''

The fact that a doctor was called to attend her at the police station shows she was not acting in her right mind. "She had been driven to the end of her tether.''

Judge David MacLaren Webster QC said it was extremely sad to see a woman of her age with an unblemished character appearing in court.

Othen, of Kenilworth Road, admitted causing damage and assaulting WPC Susan Samuels in the execution of her duty. A charge of racial harassment was dropped. She was given a 12 months' conditional discharge and ordered to pay costs and compensation of more than £170.

Afterwards Othen, who plans to move to Spain, said: "It was a one-off. Everybody can only take so much, then you go over the top. I'm deeply remorseful and have apologised to all concerned."

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.