Tayside woman ‘hit child with metal chain and encouraged her dog to attack’

A woman has been charged over claims she assaulted two children — hitting one of them with a metal chain and encouraging her dog to attack people.

Claire Pudsey, 43, was arrested along with 43-year-old Darren Clarke following an alleged disturbance in Arbroath on Tuesday.

The pair, of Strathairlie Avenue, appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court, where they faced a series of allegations.

The pair denied all the charges against them and are now set to stand trial.

Pudsey is alleged to have struck a child on the head with a metal chain.

The charge claims that Pudsey threw the chain at the child.

She also faces a weapon possession charge over the chain.

Meanwhile, prosecutors have also charged her with assaulting the same child by repeatedly punching the youngster on the head.

She is further accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in the town’s Gravesend and Burnside Road by repeatedly inciting her dog to attack members of the public.

She is also alleged to have uttered threats of violence, shouted and chased members of the public.

The charge states that she also repeatedly struck the windows of a motor car with her hands.

Clarke and Pudsey are together accused of attacking another child on the same streets. Prosecutors allege that they assaulted the youngster by repeatedly pushing their alleged victim on the body.

It is further claimed that they repeatedly struck the child on the head.

Another charge says the pair recklessly destroyed another person’s property — by breaking off the wing-mirror of a car.

The court also heard claims that the pair smashed the car’s windscreen with a metal chain.

Meanwhile, Clarke faces further allegations that he behaved in a threatening and abusive manner by shouting, swearing and uttering threats of violence.

Clarke also allegedly chased after members of the public at the scene.

The pair will stand trial on April 18 with an intermediate diet set to take place on March 28.