A MUM -OF-THREE has told a court she was acting in self defence when she caused severe injuries to a 70-year-old pensioner.

At Bournemouth Crown Court yesterday Alexandra Farenden, aged 33, told the jury she had “just wanted to talk” when she approached Winifred Oldham - known as Mary - during an ABBA Tribute night at Avon Social Club last year.

As a result of the altercation on April 11 Mrs Oldham received a scratch to her face and a serious injury to her arm which required a skin graft Farenden, of Tytherley Green in Bournemouth, denies causing grievous bodily harm.

Mrs Oldham died in March this year following a stroke which was in no way related to this incident.

Yesterday Farenden told the jury that she had approached the victim following weeks of rumours which had been circulating about her husband Terry’s finances and the charity she had set up.

Farenden said that throughout the night people kept telling her Mrs Oldham had been spreading the rumours.

“Near the end of the night I went over and sat next to her. I leant in to speak to her and asked her why she had been saying these things,” added Farenden.

The court heard that in response Mrs Oldham verbally abused the defendant and then grabbed her hair pulling her off the chair onto her knees.

“I scrambled quickly back to my seat which is when Mary grabbed my hair again, this time close to the scalp pulling my head down to her lap. It was really painful,” she said.

“I was yelling and flailing my free hand above my head trying to get her to stop. I wasn’t trying to claw her face.”

The court then heard how Mrs Oldham grabbed the defendant’s trapped arm. The jury were shown photographs of bruising to Farenden’s knees and arm.

Farenden told the court she was able to grab the victim’s arm with her hand and “squeezed hard so she would let go”.

She said she had no idea she had caused Mrs Oldham a serious injury and was shocked when she was shown a picture during her police interview stating, “I couldn’t have done that”.