A woman injured her ex-partner when she rammed his car in a fit of rage, a court heard.

Lucie Garrett, 30, had also threatened to "cut" Richard Punyer's daughter before the attack in July.

She was given a nine-month prison sentence - suspended for nine months - at Canterbury Crown Court after pleading guilty to assault, dangerous driving and damaging property.

Garrett, of Ash Grove, Elvington, near Dover had been with partner Mr Punyer for nine years before the relationship came to a "grinding halt", the prosecution said.

The couple had two children and Mr Punyer had a daughter from a previous relationship.

Three months after their split, Garrett drove to Mr Punyer’s home on July 19 with their sons - fearing he was neglecting them in favour of his daughter.

The court heard Garrett parked outside the property, "honking" her horn and demanding her former partner come outside and talk about the relationship.

When he refused, she threatened to kick his Mercedes parked on the drive.

"She was as good as her word," said prosecutor Mr Denzil Pugh, causing "hundreds of pounds" of damage in the process.

Garrett then threatened to ram Mr Punyer's car and started revving the accelerator.

When she eventually drove off, she told Mr Punyer she was going to "cut" his daughter, the court heard.

Having been arrested and bailed for the offence, she confronted Mr Punyer again on July 29.

He was visiting his cousin, Paul Goodman, when Garrett turned up at the property in an "emotional state" demanding to be let in.

When she was refused, she told Mr Punyer she was going to smash his car.

Mr Punyer came outside and Garrett lunged at him, unleashing a "flurry of blows" to his face.

She returned to her car, which her sons were inside, and drove "15 to 20 mph" at her ex-partner's Mercedes.

She swerved in its direction, smashing into the bumper and into Mr Punyer's leg as he had been standing behind his car. He was not seriously injured.

Fearful she was going to ram the car for a second time and worried for the safety of their sons, Mr Goodman tried to grab Garrett's keys.

She bit him on the arm and fingers before driving off.

In an "emotional" police interview following the first assault, unemployed Garrett, who has no previous convictions, said she always aimed for her ex-partner's face because he "comes up with a nice fat lip".

Paul Green, defending, said Garrett knew she was in the wrong, but denied it was due to "possible feelings for revenge".

He said Garrett had been suffering from depression, anxiety and paranoia at the time of the offences and was seeking help for her mental health issues.

Garrett was also given a nine-month supervision order, handed a two-month curfew and disqualified from driving for 12 months.