A CHARD woman accused of trashing a neighbour’s car and then assaulting the owner’s partner who went out to remonstrate has been ordered to stand trial.

On another occasion Katrina O’Mara went to the Lidl store in the town and helped herself to some food and wine where she was said to have been caught red-handed.

The 38-year-old defendant, of Reed Close, appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates, sitting at Yeovil.

She pleaded not guilty to a charge that on April 25 at Chard she stole a cottage pie, a bottle of Thousand Island dressing, a box of chocolate fingers, a packet of sweet chilli salmon and two bottles of wine worth £14.50 belonging to Lidl.

She was also denied allegations that she damaged the windows of a Peugeot 206 belonging to Jack Dunster at Chard on May 13 and assaulted Shelly Welch by beating her on the same date.

Christine Hart, prosecuting, said that the defendant was allegedly seen by a security officer and the deputy manager at Lidl stealing grocery items and alcohol.

However she said that O’Mara had said she did not do it as she could not recall committing the offence.

The other alleged incident occurred when O’Mara was said to have begun damaging windows on a car belonging to one of her neighbours.

When the owner’s partner went outside to see what was going on she was allegedly assaulted by the defendant.

The matters of assault and criminal damage were adjourned until July 23 for a trial. The theft allegation was adjourned until July 24 for a separate trial to be held before the court at Yeovil.

Until then O’Mara was released on unconditional bail.