AN ILMINSTER woman who allegedly pushed a female into a coal bunker and then shouted at a group of males calling them “a bunch of paedophiles” has appeared in court.

Lindsey Cooper was involved in a long standing neighbour dispute when the two alleged offences are said to have occurred last summer.

The 46-year-old defendant, of Winterhay Lane, appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates, sitting at Yeovil.

She pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting Angela Crouch by beating her at Ilminster on June 30, 2018.

She also denied using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour likely to cause somebody harassment, alarm or distress on July 6.

Prosecutor Suzie Butler said that on the first occasion Cooper allegedly pushed the complainant, Mrs Crouch, as she walked towards her garden shed.

She was said to have struck her upper arm and pushed her into a coal bunker.

A week later the defendant pulled up in her car near her home when the complainant’s husband was outside talking to a group of other people.

She was the alleged to have called the men “a bunch of paedophiles”.

The court was told that Cooper denied any assault occurred on Mrs Crouch and on the second occasion claimed she had been talking to her son and had not directed any comments towards the group of neighbours.

Reviews of both matters were conducted and the assault charge was adjourned until March 11 for a trial to take place.

The defendant was also ordered to stand a second trial over the alleged public order offence on April 1.

Until her next court appearance Cooper was released on unconditional bail.