HORRIFIED children burst into tears after watching a Bonhill gran attack two parents at a soft play centre.

Joanne Millar scratched one of her victims on the face and slapped the other hard on the cheek in the incident at the former Lomond Pirates Play Zone facility at Loch Lomond Shores.

A court hearing on Friday was told that the 45-year-old grandmother had rowed with other adults at the soft play centre – which has since closed – in the incident on June 10 last year.

The Ladyton resident appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court for sentencing on August 10 after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to two charges of assault.

Michelle Brannagan, prosecuting, told the court the complainers were not known to one another but a row broke out over one child biting another.

When a parent intervened the accused lunged towards her, pushed her away and then grabbed hold of the complainer’s face and scratched her.

Ms Brannagan added: “The parent of another child intervened at this point and the accused slapped him hard in the face.

“There were around 12 children present in the soft play area at the time. Several were seen to be crying due to what was occurring.”

Staff at the centre called the police, and officers came and spoke to Millar and the other adults involved before allowing her to leave.

Millar was then cautioned and charged at her home address on June 25.

Millar’s solicitor, Lauren Kerr, told Sheriff John Hamilton: “It was a very unfortunate incident, particularly given the locus, and she regrets that it took place.

“Clearly there was an argument. She feels she was provoked but accepts she shouldn’t have behaved in the manner that she did.”

But Sheriff Hamilton, after reading a social work report on Millar’s circumstances, questioned whether she fully accepted responsibility for what she had done.

Sheriff Hamilton told Millar: “I’m not impressed by your behaviour. From the content of the social work report it appears you are attempting to minimise what you did.

“You are in the wrong about this. That’s why you’re in a courtroom and why you’ve been convicted of assault.

“I’m not at all impressed by your attitude.”

Sheriff Hamilton placed Millar on a community payback order requiring her to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work within six months. He also placed her under social workers’ supervision.