A VICTIM was left suicidal after a shop assistant smashed up a property she owned in an act of "revenge vandalism".

Carly Saunders kicked in her victim's door before trashing the home on Vineyard Close, Peartree when a row erupted between her father and the victim over electricity works to the property.

The 34-year-old ripped up light fittings and broke other items inside the house, which the victim had purchased with inheritance money from her mother, after the victim refused to pay her dad for the faulty work.

At Southampton Crown Court, Saunders, who works at The Range, remained unapologetic for her actions and said she believed she had done nothing wrong.

The court heard that Saunders' father had carried out work on the two-bedroom house.

The victim had promised her mother she would make the home into a rented premises, and that any profit from the house would be donated to local animal charities.

Prosecutor Russell Pyne said that although work had been carried out on the premises, the victim refused to pay for it as relevant safety standards and certificates on the work were not produced.

He told the court when Saunders heard about the dispute, she forced her way into the home and although she broke numerous items in the house, she did not steal anything.

Mr Pyne estimated that the victim had lost more than £4,000 on missed rent and having to get another electrician in to correct the works.

In an impact statement, the victim said: "I struggle to put this into words well because of what happened.

"I have been left with depressed and suicidal feelings - it's like a darkness around me."

She added: "I struggle to attend the home on my own and am fearful."

Susan Ridge, mitigating, told the court Saunders had "lost her temper" when she heard about the situation and acted "impulsively".

Ms Ridge said Saunders struggled to understand why her actions were wrong following the incident in September 2017.

In sentencing Saunders, of Napier Road, Southampton, Judge Christopher Parker QC told the defendant to grow up.

She pleaded guilty to burglary and was given a 12-month community order, including the requirement to complete a four-month electronically tagged curfew.