A WOMAN who was convicted of assault for throwing rhubarb at her brother has been jailed after causing chaos in her village.

Margaret Porter, 51, of Tofts Farm, Newbiggin, near Leyburn, North Yorkshire, appeared at Northallerton Magistrates' Court to be sentenced for two breaches of a criminal anti-social behaviour order (Crasbo).

The six-year order was imposed in March for behaviour which included accusing a local farmer of being a cat killer, and making late-night phone calls - as well as the conviction for throwing three sticks of rhubarb at her brother.

The Crasbo bans her from behaving in a manner likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to neighbours and family members.

In May, Porter pleaded guilty to breaking the order on March 31 and April 3 by harassing her son's partner, Louise Handley, and neighbour Marie Winspeare.

The case was adjourned so psychiatric and probation reports could be prepared for Porter, who suffers from a paranoid personality disorder. She was also banned from entering Newbiggin.

Yesterday, David Tucker, prosecuting, said: "Witnesses speak of this defendant causing chaos and fear."

But David Scourfield, mitigating, said: "She has been the butt of people's jokes. She thinks a whispering campaign is carrying on against her.

"You can see from the (psychiatric) report that her own difficulties make it appear to her that she is effectively doing right and that everybody else in certain circumstances can be wrong."

Sentencing Porter, chairman of the bench Colin Brown told her: "This court has a public duty to try and protect these persons from further anti-social acts by you."

She was sentenced to one month in prison for harassing Ms Winspeare and two months for her treatment of Ms Handley, running concurrently.

Mr Scourfield said that Porter would appeal against the sentence.