A woman smashed up the car of her friend in Oldham – after she had heard rumours there had been an affair with her husband.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard Coleen Campbell drove a BMW to target a new Mercedes belonging to her friend.

She struck while on a suspended sentence given for being involved in money laundering over a six-year period beginning in 2009.

Prosecutor Peter Malone revealed what happened during the incident in March this year.

He said: “Miss Campbell drove to the address in a BMV, she was not the owner but was insured to drive it.

“At the address she was alerted to her friend’s car, a new Mercedes GLA model.

“Miss Campbell parked and smashed the front rear window screens.

“There was extensive damage to the window screens and side panels.”

He added that the car owner saw what was going on through her bedroom window.

He said Campbell then drove the BMW back and forth at slow speeds into the side of the Mercedes.

Police were called and Campbell was detained a short time later.

Mr Malone said the total cost of the damage was £4,529.

He revealed Campbell had been involved in money laundering between April 2009 and April 2015 and had been given a sentence of 16 months suspended for two years for this in August 2019.

Campbell appeared in court after admitting the criminal damage and breaching the suspended sentence by reoffending.

The court heard the incident took place after she had heard rumours about an affair with her husband and the owner of the Mercedes.

Representing the woman from Bamford Street in Manchester, defence counsel Alexandra Sutton said Campbell accepted responsibility and had pleaded guilty at the earlier opportunity.

She added that Campbell was of limited means, worked four hours a day as a hairdresser when possible and was the carer for three children.

Imposing a sentence, recorder Eric Lamb said Campbell must have known she was in breach of the suspended sentence.

He said: “You are 37 years of age, you would expect somebody of your maturity would have understood the precarious position you were in and not allowed yourself to lose control as your did earlier this year.

“You believed rumours that came to your ears and there was a falling out between the two of you.”

In respect of the breach he imposed a fine of £240 and for the criminal damage placed her under a community order for a year requiring her to complete 20 rehabilitation requirement days and 80 hours of unpaid work.

He also granted a restraining order, meaning Campbell must stay away from the woman in question for two years.

The judge declined to impose compensation to the owner of the Mercedes, saying it was necessary for Campbell to provide for her family.