A 76-YEAR-OLD woman who punched her neighbour was warned she could go to prison by city magistrates.

Susan Harper had pleaded not guilty to assault by beating last month and a one day trial took place on Tuesday.

Shahid Rahman, prosecuting, told magistrates that on the afternoon of July 7 last year, Harper arrived back to her home and, after seeing her neighbour Grace Poole moving greenery, she became angry.

Mr Rahman explained that Harper owned the freehold of all the flats at Tedstone in Orchard Road, Malvern, and she was responsible for the garden area and maintenance of it.

READ MORE: Outpouring of love for toy shop as it sets to close in Worcester

READ MORE: 'They didn’t tell us anything' - veteran blames health problems on Christmas Island posting

Mr Rahman said after parking her car Harper took an armful of the greenery, wrongly believing it to have been cut by the victim, then went up and into her flat dumping it.

The solicitor said Harper then attacked her neighbour when she was on the toilet, punching her twice.

“She battered and barracked her,” he said.

“There were two punches, there was hair pulling. The victim suffered injuries to her face.

"The issue is not of their past history. It not of her age either - anyone can still commit a criminal offence at any age.”

But her defence solicitor, Judith Kenney, told the magistrates that Harper was a lady of previous good character, and it in fact had been self defence.

Harper took the stand, and told magistrates that the incident had been "a cat fight" and claimed it happened on the landing outside the victim's flat.

"I did not punch her in the face," she said.

"I was mildly angry. My mistake was I should not have left it (the greenery) on the landing. My hand should not have crossed the threshold (into her flat).

"I pulled her hair to get her off my hair."

After more than an hour-and-an-half deliberations by magistrates, the bench returned and chairman Mary Marsh said they believed the victim's account of what had happened, and that Harper had entered the flat and assaulted her.

"It was a sustained attack," the chairman said.

"We find you guilty."

Harper shook her head when the decision was announced.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report, and Harper is to be sentenced on February 27.

The chairman added: "Things will be discussed (for the report), but they are no indication of any sentence.

"All options will be available, including custody."