A WOMAN told a police officer she was going to stab her love rival and burn her house down.

Shauna Graham and her victim had been involved in a long-running feud spanning six years after a row over Ms Graham’s ex-partner, magistrates in Newton Aycliffe heard.

Graham, 26, of Tenth Street, Horden, admitted a charge of making threats to kill her victim.

Her plea came months after she was convicted of a public order offence for offering to fight the same victim in front of her children.

Lesley Burgess, prosecuting, said: “Miss Graham was initially convicted of a public order offence. The victim was at the junior school collecting her daughter with her mother in law. She saw Miss Graham and immediately panicked.

"There were comments made in relation to being a grass and phoning the police. Miss Graham said put your kids over there so I can fight you. The victim called the police as she felt threatened.

"The defendant was convicted of that offence at a trial.

"The police were called in relation to an ongoing incident, a report of two females fighting. Miss Graham was there with the victim.

"Miss Graham was transported to the police station on a voluntary basis. Comments were made during the transportation.

"The officer said the defendant made repeated threats to kill, including 'I am going to stab her' and 'I am going to burn her house down'.

"Thereafter Miss Graham was arrested on suspicion of threats to kill."

Jaxon Taylor, mitigating on behalf of Graham, said: "There is quite a bit of history between these two.

"There is history between the victim and quite a number of other people within the Horden community.

"I am personally aware of a number of incidents the victim has been involved in where she has made complaints to the police, some of which had been unfounded."

He said the victim had received words of advice from the police after once calling them falsely claiming Graham was on her doorstep. However, Graham was being interviewed by police at the same time so they knew she could not have been there.

"Both she and the victim have had cause to contact the police about each other's behaviour in the last six months but the victim usually gets there first."

Graham was handed a 12 month community order, a curfew between 8pm and 6am each day and a restraining order was issued.