A drunken Cardigan woman sunk her teeth into a car full of strangers, after spending an evening retracing the steps of her late boyfriend, a court heard.

Rhian Elizabeth Jeremiah, aged 26, of 53 Golwg y Castell, was found guilty of criminal damage, by Aberystwyth magistrates following a trial on Monday, December 23.

Jeremiah had previously denied damaging a Fiat 500 belonging to Selina Day in Aberystwyth on July 13.

The court heard Jeremiah was upset after leaving a DJ event arranged in memory of her boyfriend Simon Jones, whose body was found in the sea at Aberdovey in 2012. She decided to retrace his last known movements in the town, on what would have been his birthday.

She approached the occupants of the Fiat parked outside a takeaway in the early hours of the morning, and became aggressive and angry after asking about her late boyfriend, and tried to wrench open the passenger door.

Jeremiah had maintained the damage was caused when her mouth hit the roof as she was pulled by the occupants, but witnesses claimed she sunk her teeth into the metal.

David Weale, prosecuting, said: “She took it out on the car; it seems a bizarre way to damage a car. But people when intoxicated do bizarre things they wouldn’t do when common sense prevails.”

David Folland, defending, told the court the incident was not like a scene involving the character Jaws in a James Bond film, and his client was the worse for drink that night.

He added: “She was clearly upset, and was endeavouring to find out what Simon was doing that night. This young man was missing, and tragically found dead."

Selina Day was in the driver’s seat when the incident occurred, after driving round town with a group of friends.

She said: “She came up to the car and tried to rip the door open. She had her hands inside the vehicle and tried to grab my friend in the passenger seat, I grabbed her hand so she couldn’t get her face in the car.”

Another friend in the back seat got hold of her other arm and they pulled her towards the vehicle.

“I couldn’t understand her; she was very drunk, and was abusive. There was a bit of an argument and she sunk her teeth into the part of the car above the window.”

She added: “I could hear metal crunching. I’m glad it was my car and, because she could have scared 'Shelle if she had bitten her.”

“I had never seen this lady before in my life; I didn’t know what she was talking about.”

She added that the deep scratch caused by the defendant would cost an estimated £220 to repair.

Jeremiah told the court she and Simon Jones were planning to go to Belgium together.

She said: “We never had an explanation about what happened. I was crying most of that night. I couldn’t stay in the pub where they were having so much fun, while all I was thinking about was his disappearance.”

After finding Jeremiah guilty, magistrates heard she had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting two police officers that night.

Sentencing for all offences was adjourned until January 8, for a probation report to be prepared.

Jeremiah was released on unconditional bail until that date.