A scrap between two boys at school led to one woman kicking, punching and pulling the hair of one of the children’s mothers in front of other youngsters.

Chelsey Knox “saw red” when she heard about the playground punch-up and not only attacked the woman, leaving her with cuts and bruises, but also followed her from the school in Longfield in her car, and flashed her down while honking her horn until the woman pulled over.

As both women got out of their vehicles near a roundabout, Knox attacked the other woman who had been trying to stop her from getting to her son who was still in her car.

The 32-year-old attacked the other woman in front of several children, who were in separate vehicles.

The court heard that the child who had told Knox about the brawl was not her son but she had been picking him up after class for a friend.

Knox, of Porchester Close, Longfield, was later charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm which she admitted when she appeared before magistrates in Maidstone on September 9.

The court heard the incident happened on April 4 in Longfield and the victim had been left with cuts to her ear and lip, and severe bruising to her face.

Prosecutor Rajni Prashar said the defendant had never met the victim before.

She continued: “She [Knox] was picking up a friend’s son to take him to his address when the victim spotted a red Citroen C4 car behind her which began flashing its lights and honking its horn and the victim stopped near a roundabout in Longfield.

“The defendant got out of her car and started to approach the woman’s car and attempted to open the door to get to the boy.

“The victim got out of the car to protect her son and the defendant began to assault her and she was punching and kicking her and was also pulling her hair and injuries were caused.”

The prosecutor went on to tell the court that the victim had revealed in her impact statement that she had suffered bruising to her lips and all over her face, and had to go to Darent Valley Hospital for treatment.

She sustained cuts to her left ear and lip, had been in pain and was left shocked by the attack. Her daughter, who had witnessed the incident, had also been left terrorised by what had happened.

Ms Prashar added: “There were a number of other children in the cars at the time and during interview she admitted the assault, but had no defence as to why she assaulted the complainant.

“She has previous, but they were a long time ago in 2010 when she was convicted of criminal damage and assault.

“The offence is aggravated as it was in the presence of children.”

Stewart Lewis, mitigating, told magistrates his client had written a letter to tell the court she was depressed and was now taking tablets to deal with her issues and also having therapy.

He added: “It was not her son, but the boy has issues with the victim’s son. It was another lady’s son.

“There had been a fight at school and both women got out of their cars and both boys also got out.

“This led to the assault, she saw red. There are no excuses. She says the victim pulled her hair and she reacted and punched her.

“She did have an alcohol issue, but not now and was depressed at the time.

“She’s very stressed [about the hearing] and she lost her temper. She’s on benefits, Universal Credit, and she also gets child benefits.

Magistrates told Knox it was a regrettable incident and the victim and children must have been very scared.

But they didn’t sentence her there and then as they felt a pre-sentencing report was needed.

Knox was bailed and will be sentenced at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on the afternoon of November 4.