A TEENAGER teased her mother with a large knife in a terrifying incident, a court heard.

Erin Nightingale, of High Street in Gwersyllt, appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Tuesday. 

The 19-year-old had previously been convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Beth Nightingale on December 17 last year.

Rhian Jackson, prosecuting, told the court that on the day of the offence, the defendant was at her family home with the victim - her mother.

They had consumed a few whiskeys each, the court heard, and Beth Nightingale went upstairs for a short while.

When she came back down, it appeared the defendant had consumed a lot more of the alcohol while she'd been upstairs.

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As Beth Nightingale was cooking, her daughter tried to snatch a pair of tongs from her before accusing her of trying to stab her.

The defendant picked up a pair of kitchen knives 10 to 12 inches in length, began screaming and threatened to stab her.

Nightingale prodded at her mother with the blades, leaving superficial cuts and one deep one above her elbow.

The Leader: Wrexham Magistrates Court (Image: Google)Wrexham Magistrates Court (Image: Google) (Image: Google)

The victim opened a window and screamed for help.

Eventually she managed to talk her daughter down and minutes later the police were knocking on the door.

Ms Jackson said the defendant has borderline personality disorder, which she is medicated for.

But in the days leading up to the offence, she hadn't been taking her tablets.

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Alun Williams, defending, referred District Judge Gwyn Jones to a "very detailed" pre-sentence report which had been compiled about his client.

The District Judge told Nightingale: "While under the influence of drink, you teased your mother using kitchen utensils.

"It's clear your mother was terrified as to what was going to happen. She didn't know what you were going to do."

The District Judge explained his starting point had to be custody - but given the documents put before the court he was satisfied there was a more constructive way of dealing with her.

He handed down a two year community order with two requirements; 30 days of rehabilitation work to help Nightingale to regulate her emotions, and an alcohol abstinence and monitoring order of 120 days.

She was also ordered to pay £85 costs.

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