ABERGAVENNY'S 'neighbour from hell' Dorothy Evans was last week taken by ambulance from Cardiff Crown Court with her leg in a splint shortly before an appeal hearing was due to start.

Evans, 82, of Park Crescent, fell as she climbed two steps and suffered injuries.

Earlier this year she was jailed for 6 months reduced on appeal for harassing neighbours and breaching a number of ASBO's.

She appeared to appeal against sentence and conviction for driving without due care and attention, failing to stop after and accident and failing to report an accident. She had been given a conditional discharge for a year, ordered to pay costs and disqualified from driving until she retakes her test.

Her counsel Andrew Barcello said she had indicated she was not well enough to go through with the hearing and her daughter who was to be a witness could not attend due to pressures of work.

Evans often interrupted proceedings and at one point said "I've had the scope down me, I'm a sick women, I've got a hospital appointment this afternoon" and "I didn't know about this till yesterday."

Her counsel had a short conference with her and told the court "I'm afraid she now has no confidence in my ability to represent her and wishes to dispense with my service."

Earlier, prosecutor Philip Morris said a vital prosecution eye witness could not attend for the hearing which would revolve around the issue of identification.

During a further adjournment Evans fell and after being treated by first aiders was taken to University Hospital Wales. The case was adjourned for a week.