A JILTED alcoholic ended up in court after mistakenly breaking a window she thought belonged to her former lover.

Kate Thomas, 35, of Princes Road, Margate admitted criminal damage before Thanet magistrates court on Monday August 24.

Ruth Dalziell, prosecuting, told court that Thomas was caught on CCTV putting a brick through two large windows at No3 Urban Wears on Northdown Road at 5am on June 20.

Thomas, already on conditional discharge for a similar crime, later told the police she did not recall causing the damage as she had drunk a litre bottle of whisky.

She told police she had been in a relationship with the man she thought owned the shop.

Thomas was caught when she was seen walking down the street later in the day by the shop owner, who recognised her from CCTV footage. The man said Thomas was a complete stranger to him.

Roger Davies, defending, claimed that the injured party did in fact know his client.

The prosecutor retorted it was a case of mistaken identity due to the fact that Thomas's former lover shared the same nickname of "Marcel" with the shop owner and was a mutual friend.

Mr Davies added that spirits made his client "depressed and angry" and that when she drinks lager she is a "happy drunk".

Thomas was given a 12-month community supervision order and put on a six-month alcohol-treatment programme. She was also ordered to pay £900 to repair the damage and £200 for loss of earnings.