Her 90th birthday only months away, a widow appeared in court on Wednesday to admit her first ever offence - after damaging a car parked outside her garage.

Described even by the prosecution as a woman of “impeccable” character, Marjorie Mills had been “at the end of her tether” with a young woman driver who ignored notices and regularly parked her Ford Fiesta in front of the pensioner’s garage, magistrates heard.

The OAP lives in a cul-de-sac, Pine Grove Court, at the village of Rhos on Sea, where there is a row of several garages.

But James Neary, prosecuting at Llandudno magistrates’ court, said Zoe Hughes had parked her 66-plate Ford Fiesta in front of two garages in order to visit a friend. Mr Neary said she generally parked in the same place due to limited space.

Miss Hughes was informed by a neighbour that Mills had damaged the car. There was a damaged wing mirror and scratch along the side of the Fiesta, the prosecutor said.

“There was a note saying ‘ do not park in front of my garage door’,” Mr Neary explained. The defendant had been exasperated by drivers parking in front of her garage door. “She was at the end of her tether and acting in exasperation,” Mr Neary said.

The court heard police had quizzed Mills about damage to two other cars. But she denied responsibility and the widow had pleaded guilty to a single offence of damaging the Fiesta in September. The case against her for allegedly vandalising the other cars was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service because there no evidence to implicate her.

The magistrates imposed a twelve-month conditional discharge but she must pay £700 compensation to Miss Hughes and £105 costs. Court chairman Toby Prosser told her: "You pleaded guilty to criminal damage to a vehicle albeit out of frustration. Causing damage to another vehicle albeit in difficult circumstances isn’t on.”

Defence solicitor Richard Williams said: "This has been a fairly traumatic experience for Mrs Mills. Unfortunately police received complaints of damage to two other vehicles in the vicinity and decided she was probably a one-woman crimewave, matters she strenuously denied.”

Mr Williams said police had been “enthusiastic” about following up the other matters and the case had been listed for trial. Mills was now to be sentenced for a single incident caused out of frustration.

It seemed Miss Hughes visited a friend in a neighbouring flat and parked in front of the pensioner’s forecourt garage on a regular basis, despite notices.

The lawyer said his client had been making a meal. “She went out to her garage about 7pm simply to get some potatoes from the garage. She managed to open the garage door with some difficulty and some damage was caused by her as she opened that door and subsequently in trying to shut the garage door,” Mr Williams said. She left a note.

Police had called at her flat at 10.25 at night which seemed “less than sensible” because of her age, Mr Williams remarked. “Regrettably there’s not been any other disposal offered to her and she has to find herself before the court in the year of her 90th birthday,” he said. Mills had worked at the Coop head office in Manchester and was a widow with no children. “She has no family support at this time,” he added.