A PORT woman took a cocktail of booze and anti-psychotic pills before storming over to a neighbour's house and smashing kitchen windows with a claw hammer — at midnight.

Helen Reagan, 45, carried out the vandalism attack as a neighbourhood feud which had been simmering for months suddenly spiralled out of control.

Prosecutor Hazel Emmerson told Greenock Sheriff Court: "The accused walked across the front garden to the kitchen window.

"A girl was heard to say, 'Don't do it', then a smashing sound was heard.

"The accused had a claw hammer of one foot in length.

"Two windows were smashed.

"The accused placed the hammer under her top and walked back to her house."

Reagan, of the the Port's Barra Way, committed the offence on July 12.

Her plea of not guilty to a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, shouting, swearing, making threats and offensive and abusive remarks was accepted by the Crown.

Fiscal depute Mrs Emmerson told the court: "There had been an ongoing neighbour dispute that had been going on for two months.

"Windows at the complainer's house had been smashed previously.

"Neighbours have been living in fear of the accused's behaviour."

Defence lawyer Gerry Keenan said: "This is not an insignificant matter, but there is a context to this.

"Ms Reagan herself has been the recipient of significant antisocial behaviour.

"On the night in question she had been drinking and she has been on anti-psychotic medication for six years.

"The combination of drink, medication and simmering resentment is not a good mixture.

"It is something she would not otherwise have done in sobriety."

Sheriff Thomas Ward told Reagan: "If you do this again you will be going to jail."

Reagan was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work in six months and placed under supervision for a year as a direct alternative to prison.