A WOMAN who claims she only found out she had been dumped by her councillor husband when she read it in a newspaper later punched him in the face in a busy Perth street, a court heard yesterday.

Lesley Hunter (41), of Mull Place, claimed her estranged husband, Gordon Hunter, was “flaunting” his new girlfriend in the city centre and lost her temper, hitting him so hard his glasses flew off.

She yesterday pled guilty to assaulting him by punching him on the face in South Street on September 5.

A plea of not guilty to assaulting Mr Hunter’s new partner by pulling her hair during the incident was accepted by the Crown.

Depute fiscal Stuart Richardson told the court Mr Hunter and his wife split up some time before they met while she was shopping that afternoon.

He said she saw Mr Hunter with his girlfriend and was “very angry.”

He said she “shouted and then punched her husband on the face.”

Hunter’ solicitor, Cheryl Clark, said her client was battling depression when she split from the SNP councillor, convener of housing and health on Perth and Kinross Council.

She said, “The couple separated before this date.

“The first she knew of the separation was reading it in an article in a national newspaper.

“On the day of the incident, Mrs Hunter and her sister were shopping in the St John’s Centre.

“She advises that only moments before the incident when she exited the shopping centre onto South Street, Mr Hunter had appeared before herself and her sister and appeared to point them out to his partner.

“On exiting the centre, this manner of behaviour appeared to continue and, to her mind, Mr Hunter was flaunting his girlfriend in front of her.”

She said Mr Hunter tried to move his wife away by putting his hand on her throat.

“Mrs Hunter struck out, hitting him on the face and knocking off his glasses,” she said.

Miss Clarke added, “I understand there are ongoing difficulties between the parties and a number of issues are to be resolved.”

Sheriff Michael Fletcher deferred sentence for six months for Hunter to be of good behaviour.