A PRESTATYN woman who brandished a potato peeler at her neighbour and threatened to slit a dog's throat had been given the chance of a community order - but breached it by failing to turn up for appointments.

Mold Crown Court was told that Kathleen Mary Hughes had not turned up for one appointment with probation officers because she had been "offered a free sun bed appointment."

Today she was told that was the worst excuse in the world and that there would be no more chances.

Judge Niclas Parry said that in July at Caernarfon he felt sorry for her and gave her a chance.

"I do not feel so sorry for you today, because you threw that chance back in my face," he said.

She had her issues and was being given a vast amount of support.

Those in charge of her order were actually going to her home so that she did not have to go to them.

But she was not there for the appointments.

Judge Parry said that he accepted that she had health issues and that it was her first breach.

In view of that, and because fortunately those working with her were still prepared to do so, he would not send her to prison.

He added a three month alcohol treatment requirement to the order.

"There would not be another chance, I have got to tell you that," he explained.

She had received the 12 month community order in July after she was convicted of possessing a blade.

But she was breached following four unacceptable absences.

Defending barrister Simon Mintz said that he had explained to her that a free sun bed appointment was the worst excuse in the world and that the court would take a very dim view.

She had not been in trouble since 2002 despite clear alcohol problems.

His client was "in terrible health", had suffered a bad stroke in August which had affected her mobility.

She was struggling to move around on a stick and had a carer.

He said she had promised to take the order more seriously and said that additional alcohol treatment work would benefit her.

It was a sad case of a woman who had been away from the courts for a long time but who had been involved in an unfortunate incident with neighbours, he said.

The earlier hearing was told that she had been found guilty by magistrates.

She had been living at Parc Cemlyn, Prestatyn, when neighbours heard her banging on the party wall and shouting "where's my Firestick".

The defendant was seen to be banging on the window and holding a small kitchen knife.

She was threatening to slit a dog's throat and shouting 'what until I get my hands on the little pr***', referring to the neighbour's nephew.

When it was pointed out that she had a knife in her hand the defendant threw it into her own porch saying 'is that better now?'

The neighbour filmed the incident on her mobile phone and an excerpt was shown in court. The knife was described as a "potato peeler".

Judge Parry called her behaviour "highly bizarre".

He told her she was a mature woman who had acted out of character but said it would have been utterly intimidating and frightening for the neighbours.