A pensioner who threw dog poo at her neighbours as part of a violent campaign of harrassment said she wanted to shoot a weekly editor in the head after being told her exploits would be covered  in the newspaper.

Barbera Minns, left, launched the verbal attack at West Briton journalist Chris Matthews when he attempted to reach her for a comment following her conviction for a string of offences.

Minns, 72, subjected her neighbours in Falmouth to a prolonged period of violent harassment which included threatening them with knives, attempting to poison their pets and throwing dog poo at them.

She was given a 36-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, at Cornwall Magistrates’ Court after admitting causing Adele Richards and Gary Authers to fear that violence would be used against them, being in possession of an article with a blade or point, assault and two counts of drink driving.

Minns was also made subject of two restraining orders and told to pay £500 in compensation, and further received a five-year driving ban due to it being her third drink driving offence since 2008.

After her sentencing, the West Briton and its sister website Cornwall Live interviewed her victims and approached Minns for a comment.

She told Chris: “It is the biggest load of rubbish. I’m in total shock. I’m a 72-year-old who is five foot tall with ME and have had three major ops in 18 months.

“I’m completely shocked to the ground. I don’t know why you’ve had to ring a 72-year-old who lives on her own. I’ve been bullied. Anybody who knows me knows I’m nothing like that.

“I’ll admit the drink driving. I was very stupid. I’m normally very gentle, kind and I’ve been totally obliterated.”

However when told that the story was going to be used in the West Briton, the “normally very gentle” Minns responded: “I want to shoot the editor in the head.”

She then hung up, before calling back and telling Chris he was “a pathetic little sh*t”.