An Irvine woman has confessed to hurling drunken verbal abuse at her neighbours – including two primary school age children – before going on to apparently film them on her phone.

Sharon Spence’s vile insults took place over a period of several hours in the town’s Doura Place earlier this year – with the 52-year-old going on to blame drink for her disgusting behaviour.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard how two days after the May 4 incident, Spence approached the family – including children aged 6 and 10 – while holding her phone in a way that suggested she was filming them, despite being banned at the time from approaching any of those involved.

Spence was ordered to carry out unpaid community work as a punishment after pleading guilty to three charges on two complaints relating to incidents on May 4, 6 and 14 this year.

Describing the first of those incidents, the procurator fiscal depute said: "At 3.35pm the witness arrived at the locus and was walking towards the gate. The witness told her children to keep their head down to avoid confrontation. 

"The accused shouted 'fat b***h, fat family' to the witness. At this point the [male] witness was at the window.

"At 6.55pm the witness left the locus briefly. As she walked past the accused shouted 'f***ing fat b*****d' and 'f***ing fat family'. The witness recorded this on her phone and the accused shouted again.

"At 7pm the witness left to take the daughter to art class, and the accused shouted 'bye fat b*****d'.

“At 8.45pm on the same date the witnesses returned. The accused attended the door, intoxicated, shouting ‘hi, t**t.

"At 7.30am on May 5, witnesses contacted police . At 10am police attended the home address of the accused. She was arrested and made no reply.”

The fiscal depute then described how, at 11am on May 6, the same witnesses were getting into their vehicle outside their home.

“They witnessed the accused,” the prosecutor continued, “and got into the vehicle, locking it.

"They observed the accused avoiding the path and walking over grass toward the vehicle. They observed the accused with her phone in her hand in a manner that suggested she was filming.

"The witnesses felt intimidated, and reported this to police.

"Police attended and the accused was arrested, replying ‘I didn't know I couldn't approach her’.”

But those incidents still weren’t the end of the matter.

The fiscal went on to describe how, on the afternoon of Sunday, May 14, Spence was seen leaving her home and going out into the street after drinking more alcohol.

She  said: “She started aggressively shouting at children playing. The disturbance was overheard by witnesses who observed from windows and front doors. 

“The accused then shouted ‘f*** off’ to the children. She shouted ‘your house is dirty and you have no f***ing teeth’.

“The accused thereafter shouted ‘f***ing get out here, you’re all antagonising me’, and shouted ‘fat b****h’ and ‘you’re a bad mother, look at the size of you’.

At this point a witness rang 999; Spence – who was on bail at the time – was arrested shortly after police arrived, but wasn’t cautioned and charged because of her level of intoxication.

Defence solicitor Simon Brown said: "She is 52 and living at the address, but I think she is trying to move.

“She has been on the waiting list after the initial incident.

"There haven't been any further incidents, and she is getting a grip on her alcohol problems. To her credit she has realised she has to deal with this."

Sheriff Alistair Watson told Spence: "These incidents are happening far too regularly.

“You’ve already been punished earlier this year for something similar. Now you’re back up for something, and offending 10 days later.

“This was appalling abuse. Abuse towards children, as well.

“I can understand that problems with alcohol may be at the back of it, but alcohol didn’t cause it. You are responsible for your own actions.”

Warning Spence of the consequences if she failed to mend her ways, the sheriff added: "If you carry on like this I could give people some respite and put you into custody.That would separate you from alcohol.

“However, I don't we're there yet, and will give you a chance."  

Spence was placed on a community payback order with supervision for six months and ordered to undergo alcohol treatment.

She will also have to complete 80 hours of unpaid work by February.

Sheriff Watson added a further warning, telling Spence: "If you don't comply you will give me no choice but to send you to custody."