A woman has been ordered to undergo alcohol treatment after scratching swear words into parked cars while drunk.

Gail Reilly caused more than £3,000 worth of damage to five vehicles parked in the same Skelmanthorpe street.

One owner described her embarrassment at being forced to drove around with foul wording etched on get car.

The 46-year-old pleaded guilty to five charges of criminal damage as Kirklees magistrates heard that she turned to drink following the death of her mother.

The vehicles were all parked in Gib Lane and belonged to people living there.

In the early hours of June 20 drunk Reilly, of Queen Street in Skelmanthorpe, was captured on CCTV walking along the road.

Andy Wills, prosecuting, said: “The defendant decided, for unknown reasons, to take it upon herself to damage four vehicles with swirls and scratches into the bonnets.

“Three times words were etched into the paint work, with one saying ‘f***’ and ‘f*** you’ scratched into another car.”

Later that evening Reilly returned to the area and damaged a fifth car, magistrates heard.

One resident was shocked after waking up and witnessing the damage to her car.

Mr Wills said: “One owner was embarrassed to drive around in her vehicle with the (swear) word written on it.”

Reilly was estimated to have caused more than £3,000 worth of damage to the Vauxhall Corsa, Honda Civic, Renault Megane, Peugeot 206 and Mitsubishi vehicles.

She had no memory of the incident but accepted that her alcohol dependency clouded her judgement.

Rachel Sharpe, mitigating, said: “The defendant accepts she must have done it and when she was shown the CCTV footage she refused to watch it, becoming tearful and upset.

“She was extremely remorseful and couldn’t explain her behaviour - it was not a revenge attack.”

Magistrates were told that Reilly turned to drink following the death of her mother eight years ago, at one point drinking two bottles of vodka a day.

She then abstained completely for nine months after being taken to hospital two years ago and given six months to live, although recently started drinking again.

Magistrates ordered Reilly to undergo a nine month community order with alcohol treatment.

She must comply with an electronically monitored curfew and pay each of the victims £50 compensation.